The Seer and Her Thief
by durkiir
Summary: Searching for a new recruit, Brynjolf found a candidate beyond his imagination. The Dragonborn doesn't play his games though. She has a temper, a cold attitude, but shoveling down through the snow reveals her warm and caring heart. Maybe the master thief has bit off more than he can chew. Rated M for language and sexual themes/scenes. F!Dovahkiin (OC)/Brynjolf
1. Chapter 1

**The Blind Seer and Her Thief**

Darkness. That's all she could see for hours. Maybe it was days now? She couldn't tell. She couldn't care less. The only thing she was worried about was her family. What happened to them? She looked back and remembered talking with her little sisters, mum and da. It was a normal family dinner. And then the darkness hit her, swallowing her family with it. _Why can't I remember anything?_ she thought. She could still taste the grilled leeks as she remembered the last moments of the light. She could feel her pulse inside her head.

Though submitted deep into darkness and unaware of her surroundings, she moved her hands around to find where she was. It was hot everywhere. She felt her hands meet splintered wood, wedging pieces into her fingers. The Nord girl winced at the pain, but remained silent. Not only was she in darkness, she was in silence. She felt her hands and knees suddenly hit soil after she tried standing up. It was moist soil. _Water… a river must be nearby._

The dryness of the girl's mouth and throat were excruciating and quickly swam her way to be her concentration. She desperately crawled forward in search of the water. All of her muscles released the tension building up in her when she heard the small creak nearby. Once her hand hit the water, she cupped some water and drank it until she felt sick from the vast amount of water in her stomach.

A throbbing pain suddenly shot through her body as she felt herself leave the ground, warmth engulfing her. _This must be death. It's about time._ She thought her countless prayers for a passing to Sovngarde had been answered and she succumbed to her exhaustion.

The cold wetness of a cloth being draped on her forehead shot her eyes open, bringing all her pain back to her. She still could see nothing. She sat up way too fast, sending her head spinning.

"Easy there, kinsman." She heard a gruff male voice say.

Feeling the large hands settle her back into the bed made her heart sink. This isn't Sovngarde. _Why am I still alive? Why can't I see anything?!_

"M-My eyes…" she forced out between coughs.

"Your eyes?" the man replied.

She forced herself out of the bed in search for light, just **something** to see.

"I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING!"

* * *

For a simple Nord, it was a normal day. Scanning potential targets, pandering to those that had some extra coin, were in a good mood, or walking around with some free time. The typical day in the Rift was mind-numbing to him. He needed to reel in someone for excitement, fast. Else Mercer would be on him faster than skeevers on fresh bread.

Maybe he ought to go looking at Goldenglow Estate. He knew Vex hardly made it out, but being chased down by some mercenaries right behind him lusting for his head on a spike sounded more fun than what he was doing right now. If Haelga came by his stall again to ask about that Falmer Elixer, he would toss her into her bunkhouse and lock her there until even Dibella was tired of her.

Suddenly, a fresh face came to view. Well, a fresh body. Her face was well hidden behind a large and thick mage hood, but he knew she wasn't a member of the college. Her arms said that she favored the weapon over magic, though she was of extremely small build. She probably wasn't much of a talker either by the way she swiftly made her way through the people and promptly sold her junk to Grelka and Balimund.

This is it. His make or break moment.

"Never done an honest day's work in your life for all that coin you're carrying, eh lass?" he approached her before she could make it halfway to the Bee and Bard.

"My wealth is none of your business." she said calmly and coolly replied.

"Oh but that's where you are wrong lass." he retorted. His attempt of slight intimidation by knowing how much coin she carried and how she got it didn't get to her. He liked the challenge.

"Get away from me," she began to walk away before he grabbed her arm.

"Easy there lass. You haven't even heard the business opportunity I have for you. You see, your wealth is my busi-"

Before he could finish, her head raised slightly as she looked around to see if people were watching or listening. He was surprised by her observation skills, but even more surprised by her eyes.

Those eyes. What happened to them? It was like she had lost them. They were there, but they weren't. He couldn't process it. Perhaps she was blind, and he was blind to her blindness. How was she able to mingle and blend like nothing was different?

"Oh, sorry lass," he quickly added, letting go of her. "Must've gotten the wrong impression."

He turned around quickly to avoid embarrassment, but he was stopped by the grip of a small hand on his shoulder and a warm, but slightly bone chilling whisper into his ear.

"You must think I'm not a good thief because of my eyes," she softly said.

"What made you-"

"I'm not stupid. I know my eyes don't work as well as yours. I may look blind, but I know where a good thief is when there is one around. You walk too quiet for a man of your size. Your fine clothes don't mask the heavy air you carry."

He grabbed her hand from his shoulder and spun around to face her, looking into the center of her eyes. They were all white, so he couldn't know where she was looking, but he felt as if she was looking him deeply in the eyes.

 _Her eyes…_ he thought to himself. They were as white as the snowy mountains on the Throat of the World, clashing with her milky porcelain skin. Her lips were tinted a reddish-pink. How could a woman look so naturally beautiful?

Taking all of her beauty in, he began to talk, "Look lass, I don't know who you are or what happened to your eyes, but you've got some skill."

"So you noticed?" her colorless eyes smiled back at him as she returned a hefty bag of coins into his hand.

"Aye. You may have been quick, but a thief knows when his money is not on him anymore." he returned her smirk. She giggled, and before he was fully aware of his thoughts, he asked her, "Seriously, who are you, lass?"

She put her thin finger to his lips. "You of all people should know that this is not the place to have this conversation." She turned her head around, actually taking time to observe their surroundings. "I'll see you at the Ragged Flagon."

She walked away and disappeared. He returned to his stall in the marketplace and leaned against one of the poles that held up the small cloth that was its roof. He sighed, looking into the direction the Nord woman had walked off to.


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: Wow. Thank you so much to everyone who read and took enough time to review my first chapter! Every review, favorite, etc. has made me smile. I am extremely unsure of how long & how many chapters my fanfiction will have. I hope to cover the main questline of the Thieves Guild and perhaps a little after that._

 _I am a perfectionist, but I hope that my chapters will not be published very far apart. Currently, I am touching up chapters 3 and 4, while in the writing process of chapter 5._

 _Also, from here on, there is occasional mild cursing so reader beware!_

 _The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is property of Bethesda Softworks. I own nothing but my OC (name revealed in this chapter!). Thank you for allowing my words to have the privilege of your time._

* * *

 **The Seer and Her Thief** , Chapter 2

As soon as she entered her room in the Bee and Barb, the Nord threw herself onto the bed and took a moment to catch her breath. _Damn that Brynjolf,_ she thought. _I didn't expect him to be_ that _intimidating._ She may have caught him off guard and threw him off his game, but she still felt a sliver of fear from his air.

She felt around her hand that had grabbed the man's shoulder. His clothes were so soft. Granted, they weren't what he normally wore, maybe they were not even his, but they were still soft. His smell of honey, mead and musk lingered in her nose. The roughness of his voice and his accent were still ringing in her ears. The scene that she had just lived through played through her mind again.

The Ragged Flagon. She was able to get information about it from Maul and some of the locals. The Ratway was a nasty place, according to them; a perfect place for thieves to hang about though. Her hands wandered around on the bed spread of the inn. It must be from a bear, likely a snow bear from Winterhold. The straw bedding under it wasn't exactly ideal, but the woman had slept on worse than straw and bear hide.

She sat up and rested her back against the wall, closing her eyes. Laying down for sleeping left her too vulnerable, despite whether she had a dagger on her hip and under her pillow or not. She quickly fell into a light slumber before she headed under Riften.

* * *

As soon as she entered through the wooden door, she heard two voices. Two male voices. She crouched to make sure neither one of them could see or hear her begin to walk closer to them.

"I dunno, Drahff. They'd skin us alive if they knew we were doin' this." one of the men said.

"Why are you always acting like such a big baby?" the other, Drahff, responded with. "I've gotten us this far."

 _Two Nords… A bandit that favors the bow, and warrior who uses a sword and shield,_ she thought to herself.

"This far? We're livin' in a sewer. You said we'd have a house as big as the Black-Briars' by now."

Without being detected, the Nord woman slipped behind the bandit, quickly snapping his neck and letting his lifeless body slump to the floor. She quickly pulled out her bow, put her foot on the now dead Drahff and notched an arrow into its place and steadied her arm on her knee. Before the warrior had time to prepare his weapons, she shot an arrow right between his eyes. She listened in satisfaction to his body hitting the stone floor and the silence of him not getting up nor breathing.

After she looted both bodies of their gold, she moved on and stopped at a ledge. _There's something wrong... a bridge is supposed to be here, yes?_ she silently questioned to no one in her head. Clicking her tongue softly once, she found the bridge but it was not lowered; it most likely had not been lowered in a while. _The lever must be on the other side._

Her nimble jump from the ledge to the floor made no sounds. Another click of her tongue revealed a cage-like door, locked. The lock was an easy pick and the door opened without much effort. She took care of the lowlife hanging around the table near the entrance of the Ragged Flagon.

Sheathing her dagger after determining it was safe, the woman listened to the large pool of water before her. The footsteps and breathing of at least six people across the pool reached her ears.

 _Two of them aren't thieves,_ she noted without a sound. She listened to their voices.

"Give it up Brynjolf, those days are over," one male voice said. She knew he wasn't a thief.

"I'm telling you, this one is different," that voice could only belong to Brynjolf.

"It's time to face the truth, old friend. You, Vex, Mercer… you're all part of a dying breed. Things are changing!"

"Dying breed eh?" Brynjolf scoffed. She knew that he was aware of her at that moment, despite her trying to be silent as she approached the bar. Getting past the guard/muscle was easy enough that she got a bit ahead of herself. "Well, what do you call that, then?"

She heard him begin to walk over to her, so she stepped toward him as if she wanted to make her presence there known in the first place.

"Well, well, color me impressed lass!" Brynjolf said, throwing his arm over her shoulder and walking her to the man he just finished talking to, and she sensed that the other three thieves were in the same area. "I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again."

"She made it down here… But that doesn't mean much Bryn," a new male voice said; he sounded like a Breton. The woman kept her head hanging down, her face almost parallel to the floor. "Where is her superb skill and bold attitude you went on about?"

She didn't speak. _The longer I stay silent, the further I'll make it into the Guild,_ she repeated to herself. _Or, the longer I keep my secret, the greater the chance of me getting my ass booted out will be._

Brynjolf playfully shook her shoulder, trying to get her to talk. "Ah, she's just actin' shy now," he teased. "Come on lass, introduce yourself to us finally."

"Wait, you don't even know her?" one of the female thieves said. She must have been a small Nord, about the same size as her. "You've _got_ to be joking, Bryn."

"Vex," Brynjolf returned, "you know thieves keep things to themselves, especially names."

Vex turned away and sat down, ordering a tankard of mead.

"Seriously, Bryn," the Breton called, "quit playin' your games. It's not fun anymore."

"This isn't a game, Delvin. I have confidence in her. She may be the one to break this curse you claim we have."

The woman made no movement, face still to the floor. _Come on… you've gotten this far. What are you waiting for?_

The room fell into silence before the first voice she heard talking to Brynjolf, the bartender, spoke up, "Well? Did you pick up a mute now? She hasn't said a word!"

The woman inhaled a deep breath and took a quick moment to whisper something into Brynjolf's ear.

"Roseleigha," she said in a voice only he could hear. Her breath tickled his ear and he didn't hide the little shudder it sent through his body. "My name is Roseleigha." Brynjolf nodded in understanding to her, smirking to be the first to know the mystery girl's name.

"She's probably some dumb whore Bryn picked from the streets," Vex said.

Things moved so quickly, even to the thieves. Roseleigha made her way behind Vex, grabbing an arm and pinning it behind her back, and talked into her ear, "Call me a whore again," she said, swiftly pulling a knife to the back of Vex's neck.

All the other guild members were ready to pounce at Roseleigha before Vex stopped them with the wave of her free hand. She smiled to the woman that had freshly threatened her, "Hey Del," she called over her shoulder, "I think I found that skill and attitude you were looking for."

Getting as much satisfaction as she could with that, Roseleigha released the thief from her grasp and sheathed her knife. This may be her new friend. But the rest of them were furious with the new girl.

"Did you just see that, Bryn?!" Delvin shouted. "She just threatened my Vex! And you're still going to say she's the new member after that?"

Vex stood up from her bar stool and Roseleigha heard the gripping of a leather collar and the growl of Vex, "I'm am _not_ yours, Del. I'm not anyone's girl, and you'd do best to remember that. Did you even read my warning?" She heard Vex walk back to a table tucked near a board that separated some of the stock of the bar, sipping her mead.

Brynjolf seemed slightly amused but extremely troubled by this. He stomped over to Roseleigha, pulling her shoulder so she faced him, "What the hell was that, lass? Do you have any idea who you just threatened?"

"Yes," Roseleigha said, no sign of regret, remorse or intimidation. She looked Brynjolf right in the eyes. "That was Vex, the infiltrator of the guild, yes? I've heard she isn't exactly unfamiliar with a man's body herself." Vex furrowed her brow at that remark, but wasn't troubled too much because she knew it wasn't a lie.

Brynjolf left out a sigh, relaxing his shoulders and looking at the ground before continuing, "Look lass, I like that spark and spirit, but you can't threaten other members of the guild, alright?" She nodded, so he continued on. "Now, back to business…"

"Back to business?!" the bartender shouted, pointing to the new hopeful recruit. "Are you kidding?! That woman is blind!"

"VEKEL!" Brynjolf said with just as much volume as the bartender. Roseleigha took a deep breath and prepared herself for the upcoming words she had heard for years and years.

"Blind?" Vex said after choking on her mead. "By the Nine, Bryn! What kind of a thief is blind?!"

Delvin slammed his fists on the table he was standing near. "I knew this was a game, Bryn. We can't play games anymore! Are you trying to destroy us or somethin'?"

"So much for a new member of the family," the second female thief, a Redguard, said sarcastically.

"Calm down, everyone!" Brynjolf yelled, shielding Roseleigha behind him. She didn't understand the sudden protective nature of the man that hardly knew her, but she somehow felt safer with his large back in front of her. "Just let me explain, okay?"

"What the hell is going on out here?!" A new male voice said. Everyone became silent as a new and heavy presence filled the room. Roseleigha didn't recognize the voice, but judging by the sudden and extreme shift in the air, she knew exactly who it was.

"Mercer Frey," she whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: Hello all. I'm hoping to try posting a new chapter every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. For some, that might mean a day later since I have readers all the way in New Zealand according to traffic stats. I know there's story alerts and notifications, but this is more for myself so I can have an established schedule and for anyone who doesn't have a account._

 _I am currently beginning to write chapter 7. If I get too far ahead, I'll post chapters early so you're not behind on the excitement._

 _The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is property of Bethesda Softworks. I own nothing but Roseleigha. Thank you for allowing my words to have the privilege of your time._

 _Recap:_

" _What the hell is going on out here?!" A new male voice said. Everyone became silent as a new and heavy presence filled the room. Roseleigha didn't recognize the voice, but judging by the sudden and extreme shift in the air, she knew exactly who it was._

" _Mercer Frey," she whispered._

 **The Seer and Her Thief** , Chapter 3

Brynjolf felt the girl behind him whisper the Guild Master's name under her breath as he walked into the room. _We're all going to have hell to pay_ , he thought.

The sneer on Mercer's face and the angry look in his eyes said it all. He was not in a good mood. "Do I have to get someone to babysit you all?" he said, making no attempt to hide the anger in his voice. "If you managed to somehow forget, we've got business to do."

Before anyone could speak, Brynjolf answered. "We got it, boss. I'll keep an eye on the kids."

"I heard you shout too, Brynjolf." Mercer turned his heel and headed back to the cistern. Everyone started to relax until the boss's voice echoed back into the room, "Oh, and send me this 'blind thief' to me. Now."

Brynjolf felt his heart drop slightly at that. _How am I going to handle this? I mean, the lass isn't actually blind, right?_ He turned around the look at the girl who just revealed her name to him. He found her blank eyes looking right back at his.

 _Good job, Bryn. How are you going to get yourself out of this?_

He made an attempt to grab Roseleigha's hand, but before their fingers touched she stepped back from him.

"I can walk on my own," she simply said and lead the way to the cistern.

"Wait a moment lass," he said, but she didn't turn around or stop walking. "You don't know where we're headed."

"Of course I do. I heard where Mercer went."

He was amused and amazed at her remarks. _At least she's got wit._

The cistern was going about its way just like any other day. His fellow members were talking, training, resting, or out on missions as usual. The two approached the Guild Master's desk.

"So," Mercer began, "how does a young blind woman find herself to be joining the Thieves Guild?"

"I'm not blind," Roseleigha stated. She didn't seem rattled by Mercer at all.

"Is that so?" He looked up from his books and took a long look at her eyes.

"Staring at my eyes won't change how I see," she snapped.

Mercer chuckled, but Brynjolf could tell she was getting on his nerves. "And how exactly do you see?"

Roseleigha stayed silent for a moment. "I don't," she finally said.

"Oh? And how do you expect to work for us if you can't see?"

"Every thief has their way, Mercer. You of all people should be aware of that, am I correct?"

Brynjolf saw the instant upset and irritated look on Mercer's face. He couldn't show it on his face, but he was enjoying the lass' courage and stupidity in talking to Mercer like that.

"Come on Mercer," Brynjolf interjected. "Give her a shot. She's got real skill I haven't seen in years."

Mercer thought for a moment. "Very well. Since Brynjolf assures me that you will be nothing but a good asset to our organization, welcome to the Thieves Guild." Brynjolf's shoulders relaxed and he felt himself releasing the breath he may have been holding since they entered the cistern.

"Thank you," she said with no change in her expression or tone. Neither one of the master thieves could tell what was going through her mind.

"Now then," Mercer began once more, "to prove that my second-in-command isn't dead wrong, I'm going to be putting your skills to the test."

"Hold on now, Mercer," Brynjolf said. "You're not talking about the Goldenglow job, are you? Even our little Vex couldn't get in there."

"No, I'm not talking about Goldenglow. If you would let me finish, I can tell her what she's going to be doing." Brynjolf took a step back in shame, listening to his boss continue. "I'm trying to settle some of the final details, so I can't say anything for now. I'll have something for you in a few days." Roseleigha nodded.

Brynjolf and Roseleigha took their leave from the Guild Master's desk and went into the training room. Brynjolf was relieved to see that no one was there. This was his chance to finally talk to her. They sat down on some straw bales next to the training dummies. They sat in silence for a while before he spoke up.

"So, what happened to your eyes?" he began with.

She scoffed. "That's the first thing you want to know? Nothing about how I manage to find my way about, how I read people, or how I'm able to be a thief?"

He chuckled back at her. "I figured that'd come after the how, lass."

"I see you're not going to give up until I tell you," she closed her eyes, as if that was her way to tune out the world despite being blind. She took a deep breath, readying herself for the long and painful journey that she had experienced. "You must be so shallow if you think I'd tell you that." She got up and leaned her back against the wall on the opposite side of the room.

Brynjolf felt embarrassed and disappointed. _I already know charm isn't going to work on her; I'm not going to get myself pinned down with a knife at my neck like Vex did._ He shook his head to rid the thoughts of being scared by such a small and young woman.

He took a moment to look her over as she stood across the room. She probably had not seen her 24th winter yet. She was able to hide the rest of her body well; the hood still over her face, some hair falling over her eyes and spilling out beyond her shoulders. It was hard to tell what she was focusing her gaze on, if she even had one. _What does she see?_ Brynjolf thought to himself. _Is she really blind, or have her eyes been that off since she was born?_ He took the opportunity to gaze at some of her finer features: her lips, jaw, waist, hips, collarbone, and most importantly, her-

"Brynjolf," her sudden demanding tone snapped him out of his thoughts. "My eyes are up here."

"Aye. Sorry lass," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck to try masking his shame. "Can't help myself when a beautiful woman is around." He smirked at her, but she didn't seem to notice. Or maybe she did, but wouldn't respond to it. She slid down the wall and hugged her knees and resting her head in her arms, seeming to be tired.

"Getting sleepy there, lass?" he asked. She nodded and groaned in a tired but cute way. "Let me show you where you'll be sleeping."

He reached his hand out to pull her up, and she took it. Her body seemed like a feather but he knew she wasn't the right girl to mess with. They walked back into the open cistern and stopped in front of a bed.

"I'm sleeping here?" she asked, seeming concerned.

"What's wrong? You didn't expect a big bed with nice quality sheets and covers, did you lass?"

"I just… I don't like sleeping around so many people." For the first time, she seemed flustered and lost on what to do.

He smiled and didn't miss the opportunity to tease her. He walked up from behind her and grabbed her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder and whispered, "You can always come sleep in my room, lass."

She seemed to consider it for a moment before she shot down his offer with "In your dreams, Brynjolf."

He gave a low chuckle that seemed to make her shudder a little. "Are you sure about that? There won't be anybody but me in that room."

"I would rather sleep in a large room with ten strangers for three weeks than sleep in the same room as you for one night." She jerked away from him and sat down on her the chair next to her bed.

"Alright, alright. I got it, lass. I'll get more strangers in here so you don't have a choice." He walked back into the Flagon where his room was, giggling, imagining what kind of face she made at him behind his back.

Before he returned to his room, he grabbed a few bottles of mead from Vekel and sat down in his chair, relishing in the sweet taste and smooth texture of the Black-Briar mead. His thoughts were locked to the new member of the guild. After a few moments, questions about the odd woman came flooding back in his head. _What happened to her? She seems so vacant and possesses no feelings. I can't read what she's thinking. She's so cold and distant, it's like no one can touch her without getting a slap on the wrist. Scratch that, no one can touch her without walking away with all their fingers still on their hand._ His thoughts halted and his heart jumped a little bit.

 _Wait, why did she let me hold her like that before she went to bed?_


	4. Chapter 4

_AN: Okay, maybe I'll post this one early since I'm so excited for everyone to know more about my story. I've never had so much fun writing before! Chapter 5 will be out Monday._

 _The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is property of Bethesda Softworks. I own nothing but Roseleigha. Thank you for allowing my words to have the privilege of your time._

 **The Seer and Her Thief** , Chapter 4

Hjilda was a simple girl growing up. Her father was a smith, and her mother was a priestess. She met a boy that practically became her brother when she was fifteen winters old, and as they became adults, he grew to be her lover. The two were madly in love, got married, and quickly began to make their daydreams of a happy little family a reality around the coast of Solitude.

The poor Nord girl had trouble conceiving children. She and her husband, Gogelf, were always hopeful. Hjilda could not stop crying after they realized another attempt failed. And another, and another, and another…

Gogelf could not take the emotional toll of seeing his wife break down into tears so often. He was tired of listening to his wife sob into her sleep, waking up the next morning and apologizing for being so loud, always asking for forgiveness for her inability to conceive. She felt that she failed him; what kind of a wife can't give her husband the little bundle of life they both desperately wanted?

He began praying to Mara, the goddess of maternity. He continued to encourage his wife to try once more, so she did. The feeling of having a little life growing inside of Hjilda stayed and stayed until she went into labor. The couple could not stop kissing the little baby girl or each other. Gogelf's prayers had been answered.

Ecstatic, the couple had more children. First it was the one, sweet little miracle, then the second, and the third, fourth, fifth and sixth. A seventh was on its way. Hjilda and Gogelf finally had their dream. The proud father wished for more boys, but he loved his beautiful blooming flowers nonetheless.

He loved to watch them play around in the fields, pretending to be warriors, bandits, thieves; anything that they could pretend to battle against one another. Four of is little flowers had their mother's hair: a beautiful ashy mud auburn, reminding him of the leaves in his home of Riften. One little flower and his brave baby knight had his hair: a bright blonde, perfectly screaming of their Nord blood.

They were all sitting down for dinner as they would every night. Hjilda had prepared some grilled leeks, boiled creme treats, bread and delicious venison. The eldest, Roseleigha, was playfully fighting with their second eldest and only son, Nirnraujh.

"Give me your creme treat, Nirn!" Roseleigha said trying to grab one from his plate.

"Hands off, Rosie!" Nirn responded, pulling his plate away and sticking his tongue out at his elder sister.

The fourth eldest, Jazibell, grabbed one of the treats off Nirn's plate, tore it in half, tossed it to Rosie and kept the other half for herself.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Nirn pouted as his parents chuckled at their children's behavior.

The third, fifth, and sixth eldest were in a separate room they designated as the nursery, taking a nap while the third eldest watched over them. The little blooming bud, Canis, was constantly demanding to be helping her mother and father around the house. She wasn't very playful or extroverted.

"Canis!" Hjilda called, "come get dinner for yourself and the twins!"

Among the ruckus of the family getting around and eating food, no one heard the loud roar and ancient words of the large beast that flew toward their happy little village.

* * *

Roseleigha woke up to the shaking of her shoulder. She quickly pulled out her knife and grabbed the collar of the one that had disrupted her sleep.

"Hey, easy there, friend." A startlingly familiar man said. She felt him staring at her and kept her grip on his collar, even though she knew he was a fellow thief and old acquaintance.

"What do you want?" she said, sounding more friendly than she wanted, averting her face from his eyesight.

"You were mumbling in your sleep, sounded a bit like a nightmare."

"Oh," she sheathed her knife and let go of the man's collar. "Who are you?" she asked, sitting back down in her chair.

"Rune," he replied with a smile, sitting on her bed. "and yours?"

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, hoping to fall back asleep.

"Well, anyway, why are you sleeping in a chair?" The man continued to talk despite her efforts to show she wasn't interested in conversation. "The beds aren't that bad, are they?"

Roseleigha anticipated this question and figured she might as well make up an excuse to further her past behind. "It's more comfortable."

"Come on now, I know that isn't true." He rested his elbow on his thigh and put his chin in his hand.

She gritted her teeth. Roseleigha had been a liar for well over half of her life and hated when people tried to call her out on them. No one was able to get an admission of a lie from her. "Believe what you want then." She stood up and headed to the Ragged Flagon.

"Wait a second," Rune rushed to block her path to the bar. "You can't be… By the Nine, I never thought I'd see you again!"

"Keep your voice down!" Roseleigha rushed to cover his mouth, hurrying to see if anyone had seen or heard him.

He pulled her hand from his lips and held it in his hand. "Sweet Mara, I'm sorry for shouting but I figured you were dead."

"It would've been better," she whispered.

"By the Gods, Rosie, what happened to you?"

"Not here," she bit her lip to keep her from being emotional, "and please don't call me Rosie."

Rune cringed, knowing he hit a nerve. He pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry… But I'm glad you're here. Did anyone else make it out?"

"I don't want to talk about it," she snapped, trying to squirm from the hug. "Can you let me go?"

"What, I can't give my old friend a hug after how many years?"

She gave up, hugging him back and tried not to let the lump in her throat be known. "It's been too long."

They stood there embracing each other for a while not caring for anyone that walked past and gave them odd looks. Eventually, they pulled apart to look into each other's eyes.

"Gods above," Rune whispered, "what happened to your eyes?"

"The smoke," she said simply. He understood what she meant and walked her to the Flagon.

They departed to the Bee and Barb in order to catch up, away from the ears of the guild and Vekel, who was a sucker for guild gossip and wouldn't admit it. They talked for hours, speaking about where they had been since they last saw each other, drinking mead like they would when they were still maturing; before they knew it, the sun was resting on the horizon and a loud knock came from the door they had rented.

"I know you two are in there!" a painfully recognizable voice boomed.

Rune groaned, being awoken from his alcohol-induced slumber. "What do you want, Bryn?"

"Where's Roseleigha?" Brynjolf called, opening the door. Roseleigha continued to sit in the corner, going through the thoughts in her head and regretting building up a large tolerance to alcohol just this once. "What in Oblivion were you two doing?"

Rune let out a drunk giggle. "What's the matter, Bryn? 'Fraid I'm going to steal your girl?" Roseleigha began to chuckle at the thought of a jealous Brynjolf. "Can't a man have some mead with his old friend?"

Brynjolf stared suspiciously at the two. "You know her? And you didn't think to tell me?"

"I didn't know it was her or that she was blind!" Rune tried to stand and defend himself, but Roseleigha rushed to his side, anticipating the inevitable stumble from the drunken light-weight.

"It's okay Rune. I can handle this," she reassured her drunk friend who unsurprisingly fell onto her shoulders.

"Why didn't you tell me, lass?" Brynjolf questioned the newest member of her family.

She stared daggers at him. Her eyes were as intimidating, possibly more so than if she had any color to them. "What the hell gave you the idea that you have an obligation to know every damn detail about my life? I had no idea he was a member of the guild, and he had no idea that the 'blind thief' you went shouting and bragging to everyone. Did you ever think I may not have always been blind? Maybe I had a regular life before I possessed any skills you won't shut your mouth about. And as far as I'm concerned, I don't know a thing about how your life is now and far before you were in the guild, and hardly anyone else does."

The room went into silence; all that could be heard was the chatter and ruckus of the floor below them. Only the intoxicated Rune spoke up, "So what did you even want, Bryn? Why'd you come stormin' in here and bother my pleasant conversation with my precious little Rosie?"

Roseleigha felt her cheeks ignite with embarrassment at her old friend's childhood pet name for her. But that didn't Brynjolf from buckling over into laughter over the adorable name for such an ice-cold woman. "Rosie? Are you serious, lass?"

"Just get to the point!" she yelled at him.

Brynjolf let his laughter subside before continuing, "Aye, sorry lass. We got a tip about an old Nordic ruin that may be overflowing with treasures and gold. A client wants us to check it out and tell them what we find."

"Maven?" Roseleigha guessed.

"How did you know?" Brynjolf asked.

"Come on, Brynjolf. Who else would send the Thieves Guild into an old ruin just to see what's inside?"

"Aye, good point lass. Anyway, Mercer wanted me to go and take you along with me."

"Did he say why?" Roseleigha felt a slight bit of worry that Mercer had already figured out who she was.

Brynjolf furrowed his brows. "He said that it'd be a perfect time to test your skills. Something wrong about that?"

"No. Not at all." She breathed a sigh of relief, but knew Mercer was smart enough to figure it out eventually. _Hopefully things won't go as bad as I'm thinking_ , she thought. "Did he say where we're headed?"

Brynjolf nodded. "Volskygge."

"Volskygge?" Rune suddenly chimed in. "That place is on the other side of Skyrim!"

"Rune," Roseleigha said softly to her friend, "don't tell me you're worried about me after everything I told you. A road trip to the other side of Skyrim, going into an ancient tomb, and coming back is like child's play. Have you already forgotten everything I told you?" He rushed to shake his head, instantly regretting it as a feeling of nausea came to him. She continued to support his weight onto her, not surprised her childhood friend was still much heavier than he looked.

"Here," Brynjolf held up the other side of Rune, "I'll carry the lad. Get back to the cistern and rest."

"I can handle him just fine." She kept a firm grip around Rune's body. Brynjolf didn't reply but continued to help her bring the intoxicated man back to the cistern.

"So what's going to happen to the Goldenglow job?" she asked on their way back.

Brynjolf took a deep breath, seeming irritated. "Mercer wants you to go in there once the job to Volskygge is over."

She sighed in an exhausted manner. "I could be in and out of there by morning. I don't understand why he doesn't let me go in there. Now I'm forced on a trip into Oblivion with _you_ to prove my worth to that blasted Breton."

He chuckled, extremely amused with her frustration. "Welcome to the family, lass."

She sent Brynjolf away once she returned to the cistern and laid her now unconscious friend down in his bed. She sat beside him, holding his hand long after they arrived back not giving a damn about what people thought about the relationship between herself and him.

She rested her eyes, finally having a chance to breathe with stillness and silence around her. She didn't have to worry about how to tell Rune about what she's been through, she didn't have to listen to all the moments she and her family missed in Rune's life. Rune still could not find where he was from, and even when they were apart, she still tried to find any clues she could about where he came from. She smiled as she recalled young Rune being so shy once he was welcomed into their home.

"What are you smiling about, lass?" Roseleigha struggled to her feet and let go of Rune's hand once she heard Brynjolf's voice.

"That's none of your concern," she said coldly.

"Hmmph," he sighed, "you seemed pretty happy about something."

"It's none of your business, Brynjolf." She walked to her bed and settled herself into her chair. Brynjolf followed closely behind her, a look of amusement on his face.

"I never thought you'd have a soft spot for someone, especially one for Rune."

"I don't have a soft spot," she folded her arms and stretched her legs out, preparing for sleep.

"Is that right?" She heard him lay on her bed, turned toward her. "Seemed like you couldn't stop talking to the man all day. Poor lad, having to listen to you for so long."

Roseleigha ignored Brynjolf; she knew he was just trying to push her buttons, get some sort of remark out of her. She wasn't going to oblige him with that.

The two fell silent after that. After waiting for what seemed like forever, she heard the steady sleeping of the master thief. She chuckled to herself, wondering how someone like him was able to so easily fall asleep in another woman's bed. Actually, she could wonder. He probably slept in more women's beds than she cared to think about. A thorn of jealously poked her heart.

 _Stop it, Rosie_ , she said silently to herself. _You can't get attached to someone. You know what will happen if you do._

She shuddered at the thought and allowed herself to fall into the sweet embrace of sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

_AN: I would like to clarify why I am not posting new chapters every day._

 _I make many silly mistakes. I have, what I call, writer's dyslexia. I'm very harsh on myself when it comes to grammar and silly mistakes. I like to read, reread, rereread, rerereread, rererereread, and then rerererereread to correct stupid mistakes I always make. Especially when I'm tired and I typically write my stories at the end of the day when I am exhausted. Also, it helps to have more stories I'm able to edit before publishing to avoid plot holes. I always get agitated with any and all plot holes in other stories, and I would never get over the embarrassment of a plot hole or inconsistency in my own story that I could have avoided._

 _I am very excited for you all to read and learn more about Rosie! I hope I don't let you down._

 _I have included one of my other favorite characters of Skyrim in this chapter, someone I hope you all will enjoy and won't hold a grudge against because of his view on the civil war. This character does not reflect my view of the war (I'm saying this as if I need to make a serious political stance to avoid "controversy" lol)._

 _The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is property of Bethesda Softworks. I own nothing but Roseleigha. Thank you for allowing my words to have the privilege of your time._

 **The Seer and Her Thief** , Chapter 5

Brynjolf awoke, startled by the unfamiliar surrounding as he tried to recall last night. _Not the first time I've done this_ , he thought. He remembered talking to Roseleigha about Rune. He must've fallen asleep once he thought she did after refusing to answer his questions. He looked to the end table next to him and found a letter.

 _B,_

 _I'm not waiting for you to wake up. I'll be out doing business. Meet me at the stables when you're ready to leave for Volskygge. If you aren't there by sun's height, I'm leaving on my own and don't bother coming after me._

 _-R_

He smiled at the familiarity of the whole situation: waking up in another woman's bed, trying to figure out what happened the previous night, and left alone in the morning with a note. He rushed to get up and out of the cistern before she left without him. He knew he'd have to answer to Mercer with a blade at his throat if the new recruit had gone off on her own and possibly never return. He grabbed his pack that he had already prepared the night before and left the woman's bed.

He went over to check on Rune, who was already up and sitting at one of the tables inside the cistern.

"How are you feeling?" Brynjolf asked, worried for his friend.

Rune simply groaned in reply and shook his head. "Have you seen Rosie- I mean Roseleigha yet today?"

"No."

"Please tell me she hasn't left for Volskygge yet," Rune look up at Brynjolf with fear in his eyes.

"She's waiting for me at the front gates." Brynjolf saw Rune relax, then began searching his pack for something and pulled out a small satchel.

"Will you give this to her for me?" he asked, a soft tone in his voice and eyes.

Brynjolf took a peek inside the satchel. "These are all alchemy ingredients, lad. Is she an alchemist?"

Rune laughed. "She has plenty of talents, my friend. Just give it to her; she'll know what it means." Brynjolf nodded, shook the other man's hand, and left the cistern.

* * *

As soon as he opened the gates of Riften, he saw the blind thief waiting for him next to dark-brown horse with red eyes glowing as if blood was flowing through them. He saw the Black Hand marking on the saddle of the horse.

"Is that…" Brynjolf asked, trying to hide his shock.

"Yes," Roseleigha responded, flawlessly hopping into the saddle. "He's mine though. Get your horse and let's get going already. I want to be in Whiterun by sundown."

"Alright, lass." Brynjolf grabbed his horse which he usually took pride in, but next to the hellish beast, his horse seemed like nothing more than a foal.

Roseleigha paid no mind to Brynjolf or his horse as she began to ride away from the Riften gates. She was hopeful that they would run into no trouble along the way. She had already mapped out the best way to Solitude.

They rode in silence until she made a turn for Ivarstead. "Hang on, lass." He said, making her stop. "Why don't we make our way to Windhelm? It'll be shorter and easier."

"We're not going that way." She said, still not bothering to look in his direction.

"And why not?"

"It's in our best interest to avoid that path. Unless you want to go near Bonestrewn Crest."

He began laughing. "Oh come on now. That place? What, are you really listening to those dragon rumors?"

"Those aren't rumors, Brynjolf." She began going down the path to Ivarstead, scarily serious in her determination to stay away from the place that allegedly had a dragon roaming around.

 _Those dragon rumors_ are _just that, right?_ He thought to himself. _There's no way she's seen one_. _I mean, she's blind, but still._ He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the woman call his name, making him send his horse into a trot in order to catch up with her.

Once they began to make their way to the side of the Throat of the World, Brynjolf finally spoke. "Have you really seen a dragon?" She remained silent. Brynjolf couldn't read the expression on her face. It was like she didn't even hear him.

Finally, she nodded. "We're going to be arriving at Helgen soon."

He felt goosebumps rise on his skin and his blood go cold. He dreaded to see what had happened to the deserted town.

* * *

A few hours later, they arrived at Helgen. Roseleigha dismounted her horse, whose name he learned was Shadowmere, and picked the gate open. Brynjolf lost feeling all over his body once the whole village revealed itself to him.

Everything was burned down. It seemed as if small fires still lived inside collapsed building. The stone walls were crumbling, burnt corpses lined the stone paths and hid under fallen house roofs. He saw Roseleigha shudder as they made their way through the little hamlet.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, but unable to hide the emotion in her voice.

"What happened here? Did a dragon actually destroy this place?"

"Yes. I was here." The strength in her voice returned. Her face, though, was somber. She scanned the village, as if reminiscing. "It was horrible. If this was my first time experiencing something like this, I wouldn't believe it, either."

"What do you mean, 'if this wasn't your first time'?"

She bit her lip, seemingly frustrated she let the words slip from her mouth. "Never mind. We need to keep moving unless you want to run into bandits."

They moved through the ashes of the former happy, small village. Brynjolf wanted to get out, fast; the eerie sounds of only their horses' hooves shook his bones. But he respected Roseleigha's signs that she didn't want to leave exactly yet, and he couldn't understand why. She muttered something under her breath as they reached a large open area in the middle of the town, perhaps the town square.

* * *

The sun was setting as they had barely reached Riverwood. Brynjolf's horse was exhausted from the long day of walking, and he didn't blame her; he hadn't been riding her in a long, long time. A frustrated sigh came from Roseleigha's lips.

"We'll have to stop here," she said regretfully. "I was hoping we could pass this place as quickly as possible."

"What? Got some other little lover boys in Riverwood now, lass?" He smirked as he saw an unconscious snarl rise upon her face. Somehow, every expression she made only increased the magnitude of her beautiful features.

"Not that it's any of your business, but no, I don't have any _lover boys_ here," she growled.

"I'm not so sure that's true, lass." Brynjolf watched as he saw a blond Nord rush from the village walls.

"Roseleigha!" he yelled, rushing up to her. "What are you doing here?" The man's eyes wondered to him, "And who is this?"

Roseleigha dismounted Shadowmere, briefly hugging the man. "It's good to see you again, Ralof. My associate and I are just passing by," she said with a plain face. "We need a place to rest for the night; our horses are exhausted."

"Aye. Come to the inn, Delphine has missed you."

Brynjolf dismounted his horse, allowing the man named Ralof to take it to his house where there was plenty of hay and resting area for the two steeds.

Once the pair entered the inn, they were greeted by a burly Breton. "Roseleigha!" she said. "What are you doing back here? Is there another-"

"Delphine," Roseleigha suddenly interrupted. "I'd like you to meet my associate, Brynjolf. He and I will be renting out a room."

Delphine nodded, seeming to understand why she was interrupted. Brynjolf looked between the two women, trying to read the situation. This new friend of Roseleigha's was just as unreadable and intimidating.

The two women lead him to a small room inside of the inn. Roseleigha dropped her pack to the floor, excused herself from the room, and went to chat with Delphine. _What could they be talking about?_ he asked himself silently. _How does she know all of these people?_

Once Brynjolf was about done settling in, he heard the room's door open. "It's about time you finished your girl talk with that Breton, lass," he said, expecting it to be his partner. He was met with the blond Nord man from earlier. "Can I help you?" Brynjolf asked.

"What do you know about Roseleigha?" Ralof suddenly asked.

"Sorry, lad, but I don't see how that is any of your business." Brynjolf replied.

"Don't try playing stupid with me. Why are you here with her?"

Brynjolf took a moment and pretended to think; the simple warrior's face told him everything he needed to know. He laughed to himself, ready to be entertained.

"We're just here on a little trip," he said with a playful smile.

The blond curled his lip into an attempted hidden snarl. "A little trip?" Ralof asked.

"Aye. She was going on about a really small town she missed. Guess she spent some time here, but got bored real fast and went running after a man wouldn't quit chasin' her." Brynjolf had to restrain himself from bursting into laughter when he saw the expression of the other's man's face.

"I've heard enough!" Ralof stormed out of the room and left the inn, Roseleigha emerging from another room right as he stomped his feet out the door.

"What the hell did you do?" she asked, ready to sack him in the face.

Brynjolf threw up his hands in defense. "Hey, what makes you think I did something? We were just having a nice little chat."

She threw him against the wall, pinning him down with a knife ready and at his gut. "I swear to Talos, if you continue to meddle in my personal life, you _will_ be hurt, Brynjolf. _Don't. Mess. With. My life_."

Brynjolf mocked a hurting face and put his hands over his heart. "Your words hurt me, lass. I'm not sure how I will go on."

He could see the frustration on her face and began to regret his words. No woman has ever sent him into fear like this girl had. Surprisingly, she let him go.

"Fine," she said, picking up her pack and walking out the room. "I'll let you pass for now."

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked to her back.

She looked over her shoulder back at him, a teasing expression on her face. "Did you really think I'd sleep in the same room as you? Have you forgotten what I said already?"

He scoffed and smiled at the words she has said a few days ago, still fresh in his mind. "Aye, forgive me for forgetting."

She began laughing; the first time he had ever heard a sincere laugh from her. "I've already forgiven you once today, Bryn."

He smiled to himself as he settled into bed for the night.

* * *

The next morning, he woke up peacefully. He had slept very well last night, but the morning quickly turned sour. As he sat up in his bed, he shot up and backed against the wall from a small frostbite spider in his room. He was ready to throw his dagger at the bastard, still having sleep in his system, before he took a closer look. It was nothing more than a dog dressed to look like a frostbite spider. He took a deep sigh of relief and grabbed his clothes. When he was about to leave, he noticed a note hanging on the wall from a dagger right above the head of the bed he was just sleeping in. He was astounded by whoever did this.

 _B,_

 _I lied. I haven't forgiven you._

 _Here's some sweet revenge. I'll be waiting at the northern gate._

 _-R_

 _Blast that clever girl all the way to Oblivion._ He neatly folded up the note and put it into his pack where the previous morning note was and headed out of the inn.


	6. Chapter 6

_AN: Sorry that this is a little late. Lack of sleep and caffeine have started to catch up on me. Hopefully this won't affect my creative and writing part of my brain. I want to make sure I get my best ideas into my story and not rush things. Why did I force myself to a posting schedule, then? Because I'm stupid pls dont hate. I'm also hoping that feeling like a zombie won't make me become sloppy. I'll try having chapter 7 out tomorrow, but I am still working on chapter 8; I have huge things planned for that so I hope you will find it to be worth the wait, should there be any._

 _Things begin to get a little dark in this chapter. I apologize if some of you find this a little too much to handle; I personally enjoy the dark themes of humor and storytelling. To those who have and will continue reading my lovely and crazy story, thank you very much._

 _Sorry for this chapter being a bit shorter than usual. I felt like the story would flow more smoothly if I ended it as it is now. Big things are happening soon!_

 _The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is property of Bethesda Softworks. I own nothing but Roseleigha. Thank you for allowing my words to have the privilege of your time._

 **The Seer and Her Thief** , Chapter 6

The pair of highly-overqualified thieves had made their way past Whiterun, smoothly in and out of Rorikstead, and skipped a stop at Dragon's Bridge before they arrived safely at Solitude. Roseleigha's legs and back were in extreme pain due to their decision to make their way straight to the capital, only briefly stopping in Rorikstead for supplies. Brynjolf was also in pain from the long ride, and his horse was no exception. The only one who seemed to make it without an ounce of fatigue was Shadowmere.

Roseleigha graciously fed both of the horses and pet them for a long time, quietly thanking Brynjolf's horse for enduring the long ride. The two made their way into Solitude before Roseleigha grabbed Brynjolf's arm to stop him.

"I have a house here. We can stay there for a day or two in order to recuperate," she said.

Brynjolf's was taken aback with her suggestion of resting for so long. "Are you sure, lass?" he asked. "It's just an old Nordic ruin. We should be in and out of there and back to the guild by dusk on Loredas."

She vigorously shook her head at that notion. "It's not that easy, Bryn. I've been into some of those ruins before. The dead buried there are very much alive."

She saw the stunned look on the auburn-haired thief's face before he sighed. "Have you dragged me into something way over my head?"

"This was Mercer's idea," she said harshly. "I didn't drag you into anything. If I had a choice, I'd be going in alone. And I feel that Mercer also knows what dangers lie in there."

He let out a breathy chuckle. "You really think Mercer sent us to our deathbeds, lass?"

"I wouldn't put it past him." She put her pack into Brynjolf's arms, disregarding that they were already tired and carrying his own pack. "Here's a key to my house. I need to make a few stops before I get there. Make yourself at home, eat and drink as much as you want. There's a guest room in the basement that will be yours. And stay out of my room." She locked her eyes with his, making sure he knew clear and well that she was serious.

"Aye, lass. I know how to respect a lady's quarters." He smirked, knowing that he told one of the biggest and most obvious lies of his life.

She returned his smirk and laughed. "I don't doubt for a second that's a lie," she tossed a key into his hands and went into the Winking Skeever.

She sat down at the bar and ordered a mug of ale, savoring the sweet flavor of her hometown drink. She purchased a few bottles of spiced wine from the stalls near the well before making her way to the Bard's College. She wasn't a member, but she was able to bribe the dean to allow her to have free access of the libraries. Roseleigha picked up as many books as she could that detailed Nordic ruins and anything involving Volskygge. She was hoping what the Grey Beards had told her about the place was untrue.

She took the books she picked and put them into a separate pack she always carried for extra things: the miscellanies and sellable items she finds along her adventures. She exited to college to see that it was night, disappointed. She hoped to be back to Brynjolf with the wine so they could loosen up and have some nice conversations after the long and tiresome journey.

She shook her head, attempting to rid the thoughts from her mind. _Pull yourself together, Rosie. You're sounding like mum and da, and you know that can't happen._

Taking a deep breath, she quietly snuck into her own house so as not to awake Brynjolf and proceeded upstairs to her room. She assumed that Brynjolf was asleep in the guest room since he wasn't passed out on the main floor or upstairs.

She sat down, relaxed into her chair by the table outside her bedroom, and began reading the new books she picked from the library.

* * *

The sound of wings roaring above the town was like listening to a harsh thunder storm and waves crashing against the Solitude shores. Nirnraujh struggled to stand up and keep away from the fires in order to find his sisters.

"Rosie!" he screamed, desperate to find life among the fires. "Jaz?! LAVENDER!"

His cries for the other girls were swallowed in the sound of other residents screaming. _This can't be happening_ , he thought. _I'm not strong enough for this. I can't do this. Please just take me to mum and da!_ He coughed and wheezed, struggling to get enough air in to call for his beloved sisters. The burning sensation in his lungs and throat perfectly reflected to remains of his house that now sat upon the bodies of his dead parents.

White spots began to flash before his eyes as he collapsed to the ground. The dirt burned against his raw flesh. He began praying to Talos and any of the Divines that would listen to him. _Please, just take me to Sovngarde. Allow my family to have relief in the Halls of Valor. Please…_

A thunderous roar of a large beast in front of him, followed by a silhouette of one of his family members rushing toward him, falling down and being engulfed by a large ball and screams of agony was his last memory from the mortal plane.

 _Rosie… Dragonborn?_


	7. Chapter 7

_AN: I'm posting this late because this chapter is PACKED with Roseleigha's backstory. I had to make sure I get everything perfect. This isn't exactly all of her past, though! It'll come chapter 9 (;_

 _The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is property of Bethesda Softworks. I own nothing but Roseleigha. Thank you for allowing my words to have the privilege of your time._

 **The Seer and Her Thief** , Chapter 7

The sun peeked around the Blue Palace of Solitude, threatening to spill into the home of the blind thief and her comrade staying as her guest. The guest of the house slept on the ground floor, while the woman stayed up all night struggling with the reality of her situation.

Brynjolf awoke in a cold sweat, his mistakes of the past haunting his sleep that night. He stared at the ceiling for a long while before he propped himself onto his arms, stretching and doing simple breathing exercises, during which he heard his stomach growl in hunger. He put on simple tunic and trousers and proceeded up the stairs into the dining area. He looked around the main floor to find it absent of another person.

 _She's probably still asleep_ , he thought. But he was completely wrong. He heard the falling of several books from the floor above him, trying to see what was happening from the open walls of the loft.

"Damn it all!" Roseleigha roared in frustration. He never thought she would be this angry at something other than a person.

"Something wrong, lass?" he called up to her.

She stayed silent for a while before saying, "Yes. Just get yourself some food. I'll be down there soon." He heard the closing of the bedroom door and allowed himself to wander up the stairs cautiously to see what had gotten his straight-faced partner to become angry.

He moved without a sound and picked up the books that had fallen to the floor. _That must've been what she was pushing off the table_ , he noted. He took a moment to look inside the books to see what she was reading. He muttered the titles off to himself.

" _On Stepping Lightly, A Dream of Sovngarde, Children of the Sky, Atlas of Dragons_ … Seems she's obsessed with Nordic legends, ruins, and dragons…" he paused for a second. "Wait, how can she even read?"

He went to softly knock on her door and was met with silence. "Roseleigha?" he asked, still no response. He softly opened the door to find her collapsed on the bed, face down, the steading breathing of an exhausted girl resonating inside of the room.

He sighed, amazed with her ability to fall into a deep sleep so fast after being furious not five minutes earlier. He leaned against the doorway, watching her continue her slumber for a while before he left to grab some breakfast and ale.

Brynjolf sat outside her door, looking over the books she must have spent all night reading while eating his venison and grilled leeks. He couldn't understand why she spent so much time the previous night absorbing all the knowledge of the books. One was about ancient Nordic ruins, which he understood, but the others were about dragons and their language, along with passages about Dragonborn. _What is she doing with all this information? Is she just curious, or is she preparing for another dragon attack?_

He laughed at himself, thinking about coming face-to-face with a dragon next to a blind woman. He had never seen her in battle, but he knew she could handle herself if she needed, possibly being on Mercer's level.

He was startled by the sudden opening of the door, closing the book in front of him. He stood up when Roseleigha walked out the door, stunned by what she was wearing. When he had checked on her a few hours ago, she was still in her armor. Now, she was in a large and loose men's tunic that flattered all of her womanly features beyond belief. He couldn't keep his mouth shut at her sexy look and his eyes absentmindedly wandered her form.

"I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't look at me like some woman selling herself on the street," she said shyly. She turned her head away but that didn't stop Brynjolf from seeing her cheeks turn pink. He smiled in a satisfying manner.

"Sorry, lass," he said. "But you can't expect to walk into a room with a man like that and not have his eyes all over you."

"Fair enough," she rushed back into her room, presumably to change, but he stuck his foot in the door in order to keep her from doing so.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked.

"I'm changing."

"Come on now, there's no need to be like that." He quickly smirked once an excuse came into his head. "Do you really think I'm that bad? We're here on business, not pleasure."

She pursed her lips and sighed, still avoiding eye contact. "I do think you're that bad, but I don't have anything more comfortable to wear." She led him into the eating area downstairs and sat down at the table.

He sat opposite of her, watching her relish in the horker meat and grilled leeks on her plate. Her figure was incredibly small, but the way she devoured the animal flesh in front of her made his blood go a bit cold.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, still looking down at her plate.

"You eat like a horse, lass," he replied with hesitation. To his surprise, she nodded and laughed.

"That's what my mum used to tell me. 'You'll never meet a man like your father if you act like that at the table!' I guess she never knew the man she married, because he couldn't give a skeever's ass about how a woman acted at the table."

Brynjolf smiled to know he got a glimpse into her past. "Your mother sounds like quite the woman." He stretched back in his chair and rested his head in the palms of his hand, interlocked at the base of his neck.

She stopped eating, staring emptily at the center of her now clean plate. "She was." Roseleigha excused herself from the table, not listening to his apologies as she walked back into her room.

* * *

Brynjolf stepped outside the house once the sun was starting to set, needing fresh air. The stuffy basement of the girl's house was getting to him. The whole area was full of enchanting and alchemy supplies whilst his room lied empty, save for a bed roll and some barrels. Once he closed the door to the front porch, he saw the figure of a woman sitting at the table set up over a beautiful view of where the Karth River meets the Sea of Ghosts.

"I'm surprised to see you out here enjoying the view, lass," he said as he sat across from her.

Her face continued to look outward to the ocean. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Why is that?" she asked.

"Really? You're blind. Blind people usually don't stare out into a beautiful view."

She smiled. "Have you not realized? I'm not blind, Bryn. Sure, I can't see with my eyes, but I use my senses. I see with my ears, my hands and my nose. I can see that you're sick of sleeping in the basement, you're annoyed we're still in Solitude, consistently wondering why I'm reading things about dragons and Nordic legends, and I see the dumbfounded look on your face right now." She locked her vacant eyes with his. "I'm just ask capable of seeing as you are. I don't need my eyes anymore."

Brynjolf didn't say anything in return for a while as the woman looked back to the ocean. He never thought about how much it must annoy her to be called blind; she could probably observe surroundings far better than he could even with his eyes. He took a moment to admire her strength and her incredibly adaptable brain. He knew she could make her way out of any situation and circumstance alive and make it seem like it was fun for her.

"I grew up here," she said, finally breaking the silence. "Right on the coast. I remember taking my little sisters out to see the sunset right around the lighthouse." Her eyes looked out to the coast with nostalgia.

"You have sisters?" he asked.

She nodded and smiled. "I had five. Just one brother though. I was the eldest, and he was born shortly after me. My sisters followed, obviously."

"How did you meet Rune?" Brynjolf finally asked the question that had been nagging at him for days.

"Are you still jealous?" she giggled in a way that made him blush slightly but also gave him a warm feeling inside.

"I'm not jealous, lass. Just curious."

"I'm sure you are!" she burst into laughter and rested her chin in her hand, looking into his eyes. He still couldn't get over how beautiful the solid milky white eyes she had were.

"My da found him off the shore, right down there," she began. "He was found from the wreckage of a sunken ship. None of us knew who he was or where he was from. Neither did he."

"So your father was the one who gave him the name 'Rune'?"

"Yes. Actually, my brother was obsessed with the little stone that was found in his pocket. He kept calling the boy 'Rune', and it kind of stuck with the rest of us. I'm glad he's decided to keep it."

"How old was he?"

Roseleigha thought for a moment, looking at her hands. "Perhaps 5 summers old? I can't say for sure since no one knows who he is or where he came from."

"Aye. Probably stupid question for me to ask." They both giggled, but turned serious quickly. "What happened to your folks?"

She paused, slowly turning back to the sea. "We were attacked. By bandits, to put it simply. Since we had a house alone around the coast, we were the only ones that suffered. Rune was at the college, looking into his past, thank the Divines. No one else made it out."

Silence fell over the two. Brynjolf was sure something had happened to this poor girl, but he never imagined her whole family was massacred. "Do you know who did it?"

She pitifully smiled, not looking at him. "Don't worry. I took care of it."

"It? You mean them?" he asked.

"Yeah… sure."

He didn't continue to press her on the matter, and once more, silence was lingering over them. He turned his attention to the ocean. This was the first time he had a moment to look out over the beautiful Sea of Ghosts, and being next to a woman with equal beauty and grace was beyond anything he had every experienced.

"Bryn?" Roseleigha spoke up very softly.

"What is it, lass?" he said, his heart fluttering lightly seeing her smile when he called her 'lass'.

"Can you tell me about the colors?"

He stared at her oddly. "Colors of what?"

Her smile grew. "I miss them, Bryn. Just tell me about the colors. I want to see them again, but I know I never will. Just tell me about the colors you see."

Taking in a deep breath at her painful confession, he did his best to describe the colors of the setting sun above the still ocean.

* * *

Another day passed as they recuperated and gathered supplies Roseleigha insisted on taking along. As far as Brynjolf was concerned, she was overpacking and worrying too much. _How are we supposed to sneak in and out of this old abandoned tomb with so many things?_ he thought to himself more than once. It didn't matter how many times she told him it was more dangerous than Mercer led him to believe; those stories of draugr had to all be lies in order to keep kids from wandering near those places. Right?

Brynjolf was walking to the Solitude stables to tend to his horse. They were set to depart for Volskygge in the morning. He knew his horse would be better off with some pampering the night before going off to a nasty old tomb.

 _Blast that girl to Oblivion. What's her problem? Few days ago, she was complaining about Mercer not letting her run into Goldenglow, but here we are stuck in Solitude_ still _waiting to get in and out of that damned ruin._

His thoughts were interrupted when the stables came into view. The dark-brown nightmarish beast called Shadowmere was being lovingly pet by the small figure of the blind girl his head was still raving about. He crouched down and silently approached them, attempting to listen on what she was telling the creature. Her voice was so soft that he had to strain his hearing to make out the words.

"You're going to need to do me another favor," she whispered. "I'm afraid he won't make it out alive. I can't let that happen. Remember Arnbjorn? We're going to have to do that again. He _needs_ to make it back or Mercer will have my head. It won't be as long of a trip, but it's going to be even more important. Be strong for me, my old friend. Be strong for both of us." She inhaled a shaky breath, "I can't lose him like everyone else, not when I'm old enough and strong enough to save him."

Brynjolf felt his heart stop at her conversation with the horse. There's no way this could be as serious as she was describing to the horse. _Who is Arnbjorn anyway? What happened to him?_

The silent sniffles and figure of the woman wrapping her arms around the horse's neck were all he needed to see before he left the stables and swiftly made his way back to her manor in Solitude.


	8. Chapter 8

_AN: This was a longer chapter. Hopefully no one will be able to tell how extremely exhausted I was whilst writing some parts of this. But you can probably tell how exhausted I am by this author's note, though (yikes). I hope you enjoy regardless._

 _The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is property of Bethesda Softworks. I own nothing but Roseleigha. Thank you for allowing my words to have the privilege of your time._

 **The Seer and Her Thief** , Chapter 8

Senses were the only thing she had left now. It was as if someone had sucked everything and everyone she held closest right from her life. She felt the grass surround her, closing her heavy eyelids. Her lungs repeatedly became full and empty with the fresh, cold air. The sleepy mind of the young Nord wandered to her family and what she had experienced a few days ago, but felt like it happened years ago as well as yesterday.

She knew she let her family down. As the eldest of six, almost seven, she had failed to keep them safe. Where are the ones she couldn't find now? Her only hope was they didn't suffer as much as she saw Nirn did in his last moments.

Tears overflowed from her eyes and warmed her cheeks as she remembered her little brother. Why did her last moments of light have to be of him in such pain? She remembered the color of his fingers, severely burned and in complete contrast to his face that was pale from blood loss. She tried her best to stop the bleeding, she swore to the Nine. Even her high-level healing spell and exceptional restoration skill couldn't keep him from bleeding out.

Roseleigha pushed the heel of her hands into her eyes, trying to halt the tears but to no avail. The cold wind blew harshly against her damp cheeks as she sobbed her way into a deep sleep.

* * *

Roseleigha could see Volskygge right ahead of her. She and Brynjolf dismounted their horses, letting them stay further away from the tomb so as not to get involved. They both dodged for cover behind a rock nearby the excavation-looking staircase. She sensed three bandits; one on a ledge to the left next to a fire, one on the right, and one right in front of the main entrance.

"We should be able to sneak past them real easy," Brynjolf commented.

"No," she replied. "As soon as they hear that door open, and they _will_ , they'll be chasing after us and all the draugr will be alarmed. We have to take care of them."

She readied her weapon: an ebony-like bow enchanted with shock and frost damage, beautiful intricate designs of silver-like lines and swirls around it with an engraving of a crow with its wings reaching to grasp a moon that hung above it. Taking a deep breath, she tuned out the urgent questions of the man next to her and landed a daedric arrow right between the eyes of the bandit next to the fire.

"How…" Brynjolf gasped.

"Shh," she whispered. She didn't have enough time to spare him a moment. Three more draws of her bow took care of the other two bandits: a shot into the side of one's head, and two shots in the abdomen of the other. She grabbed the hand of the stunned man next to her and made a dash into the ruin.

* * *

Roseleigha allowed Brynjolf to have a moment to catch his breath from the amazement of the stunningly preserved Nordic tomb. She smiled as he took a moment to look around with eyes mimicking that of a child. It reminded her of when she first showed the gorgeous streams of different colored lights in the night sky to each of her younger siblings once they turned four summers old.

Her breath left her as she remembered her family. _I wonder if those night skies are like that in Sovngarde_ , she asked herself quietly. She allowed herself to rest her eyes and relive moments of her past. She could remember all of their faces so well. It felt like none of them had been gone at all. They never were, in fact. The nights she slept were filled with the last days of being with her family and her days were filled with reminders of where they should all be right now.

She lifted her eyelids with a slight startle as she felt eyes on her. "Let's keep moving," she said and moved pasted Brynjolf.

The other bandits were easily avoided, take one. Brynjolf was able to elegantly throw one of his daggers into the bandit's throat as she tried to yell for backup once she spotted them. They were able to find chests and pick up the loot inside of them until they reached another large room with three sarcophaguses in the center of it. Brynjolf examined the stone carvings of different animals while she took the liberty of looking into the book that sat on a pedestal in front of the blocked path.

 _The first fears all, the second fears none._

 _The third eats what it can, preferably number one._

 _The fourth fears the second, but only when alone._

 _All must be activated in order, if you wish to go home._

She chuckled. _Home, eh? If only it were that simple._ She turned around only to then find herself shoving Brynjolf into the ground.

"What the hell was that for, lass?" he asked, taking the hand she offered him.

She lifted him back up with a grunt and said, "You were being stupid, as always, Bryn." She brushed some dirt off his shoulder and looked to the lever he was about to pull. "It needs to be done in a certain order."

"How the bloody hell are we supposed to know the order?" he asked.

She handed him the book and proceeded to read along with Brynjolf in her head as he read the words aloud.

"The first fears all, the second fears none. The third eats what it can, preferably number one. The fourth fears the second, but only when alone. All must be activated in order, if you wish to go home…" he paused for a moment while Roseleigha went and pulled the handles to each pillar.

"Snake, bear, fox, wolf," she whispered as she pulled each one.

The gate that once blocked their way further into the tomb opened up. "Nice job, lass," he complimented as she nudged him with her elbow. They both descended the spiral staircase and entered the passages.

The two thieves made their way smoothly through the passages, making sure not to let any of the draugr know of their presence. Reaching a room with a small stream inside of it, they found the large chest behind a chair with a heavily-armored corpse sitting in it. Roseleigha grabbed Brynjolf's arm before they rushed in for the loot.

"You need to promise me you'll be careful," she said, hoping that the slight worry in her voice and eyes were not showing.

It most likely failed, though, since Brynjolf smirked at her, "Don't worry, lass. A few sets of old bones won't take me down."

She gave up trying to heed him of the dangers and proceeded into the room. Despite being extremely quiet, as soon as Brynjolf began to pick the lock of the grand chest, the draugr awoke. Roseleigha was ready with her bow, though, and shot an already prepped arrow into the chest of the moving corpse. That only staggered him, though, as she knew it would.

"Just keep working on the lock, Bryn!" she urged him as she readied another bow. She wondered for a very brief moment why the deathlord did not already bring his sword down upon her. She quickly realized why and made a move to dodge the attack, but wasn't quick enough."

" _FUS… RO DAH!_ " it Shouted at her.

Roseleigha was hurled into the wall on the other side of the stream, feeling as though her whole left side had been shattered beyond repair before landed crudely on the rock floor covered in dirt and vines. _So, that is what it feels to be on the opposite end of it_ , she noted to herself. She was able to keep herself conscious enough to focus her senses onto a restoration spell, rushing to get herself up and out of the ruins before the other draugr had enough time to make their way to their current location.

Propping herself against the wall, she pushed both of her hands onto her left side and began casting the restoration spell. The draugr deathlord was quickly approaching her, and she could tell more draugr was on their way. She reached one hand down a bit further to grab her dagger and readied her feet against the wall so she could launch off the wall and land her dagger into its neck.

Just as she was ready to jump, though, the blue light from its eyes fading away as he fell do the ground with a dagger in its back. She saw the black hooded figure standing in front of her and felt herself swiftly being lifted up into his arms.

"Come on!" he yelled at her as she grabbed the large bag of loot he rushed past before leaving the tomb behind them along with the lesser draugr trying to find them.

* * *

They emerged onto the balcony, Brynjolf struggling to catch while breath while Roseleigha scanned for movement around her. He placed her onto the ground and sat next to him. She had healed up her side for the most part, but was still winded. They had already gotten the loot. She knew they should leave right now, but her curiosity got the best of her.

"Stay here," she warned him. She stood up and walked around the corner. He looked much worse than she felt.

"No can do, lass. Not after what just happened."

She saw the Word Wall before her, along with a large sarcophagus laid in front of it. _This can't be good. He needs to leave. Now._

"Listen, Bryn, I know you want to keep me safe, but- "

"But _nothing_ , lass. You almost died back there. Nothing you tell me will make me back off."

"Damn it, Bryn! Just listen to me! You need to leave right now!"

He got up and began to walk over to her before the lid to the coffin flew open and a floating mass surged from it. Her worse fear just awoke.

Volsung. The very name was meant to spread fear in everyone's heart. The dreaded dragon priest may have looked similar to the other high-powered priests, but he was incredibly strong. Perhaps his only weakness that Roseleigha knew of was stealth attacks; if she could take him out stealthily, he would be long dead again by now. But now she was in a fierce battle for her life once more by the hands of an ancient power.

Her thoughts instantly went to Brynjolf. Luckily, she had planned for this scenario, but she was hoping to avoid it. At best, he would make it out unconscious, having no memory of her needing to use her power. At worse, he would die at the hands of the priest and she would die at the hands of Mercer.

Roseleigha quickly rushed in front of Brynjolf who stood in shock. The piercing scream of Volsung made both of their heads ache. She quickly drew her bow and aimed straight for the chest plate before the priest could cast his Ebonyflesh spell. Just as she notched the arrow in her bow, though, he was already protected by the magic.

She cursed under her breath, dodging to the side as he sent an ice spear into her direction. Brynjolf was able to maneuver around it, but barely. He was still reeling from the reality in front of him. She had to take care of the blasted priest before he was hurt, even though she knew that was impossible.

The Nord woman continued to fire her arrows at the priest, penetrating his plated armor more than five times now, but he would not give up. He had his attacks all aimed for Brynjolf too, possibly seeing and sensing his fear and inability to move as quickly as she was.

Concentrating her aim to Volsung's mask, her eyes left the master thief at the most crucial moment. A frost atronach appeared right behind him, stabbing its arm into the ground and sending Brynjolf rolling down the steep hill and crashing into the stone pillar.

"BRYNJOLF!"

Roseleigha flew into rage, angry at herself for not leaving when they had the perfect chance. She could never forgive herself for letting another person die under her watch.

She turned her fiery gaze to the dragon priest, seeming to be mocking her. Gritting her teeth, she unsheathed both of her daggers, charging straight at him.

" _Yol… Toor Shul!_ "

Fire spewed from her mouth, reawakening the priest's hellish scream. She continued to run directly at him.

" _Hevno dinok wah hi!_ " she screamed as she kicked off of the ground, her daggers flying with such force that knocked his mask just right to weaken him and allow her to cut right down the middle of his chest plate, disintegrating his spirit into a pile of ash.

She fell to her knees, weakened from her Shout and power attacks. Her eyelids grew heavy, threatening to fall and send her into a recuperative sleep. Roseleigha had to prop herself up on her hands and knees, viciously coughing. Her throat was hurting and burning from the Shout; they seemed to be easier with time, but she was still trying to master that one.

Quickly scrambling to her feet, she ran to the limp body now almost buried in snow. Her attempts to awaken him with furious shakes were ineffective until a few long moments later. Brynjolf began coughing roughly, spitting out blood onto his armor and in the white snow.

"You dumb bastard!" Roseleigha shouted at him as she wrapped her arms around his exhausted form. She wasn't bothered with the thought of hugging him, not after she wasted her tears and energy trying to wake him up.

Brynjolf weakly returned her hug, his breathing ragged. "Lass… I appreciate the hug… but I can't breathe."

"Shut up, Bryn."

She continued to hug him until she realized he was still conscious enough to register what was happening. Her hands quickly rummaged in her bag looking for her potions and ingredients.

Grabbing a few health potions, she lifted the bottles to his lips and nearly forced them now his throat. She grabbed some frost mirriam from her satchel and tore some leaves off with her teeth.

"Eat this," she demanded. "It'll stop the ice from draining your energy."

Brynjolf scowled but took the plant nonetheless. "These taste nasty," he remarked.

"Sorry, were you expecting a sweet roll?" she teased, irritated with herself for allowing him to get hurt. "Am I going to need to walk all the way to Dragon Bridge so you can have some tomato soup?"

He managed to scoff but quickly was sent into a coughing fit. "Apologies, but some mead wouldn't hurt right now."

She smiled, knowing that he would be asking for mead sooner or later. Going back into her bag, she pulled out a bottle and took the lid off, holding the bottle to his lips. "You're too predictable, Bryn."

He let the drink flow into his mouth and down his throat, relishing in the sweet taste and lukewarm temperature hitting his throat. "Aye, but at least you can see what I'm going to do. What in Oblivion did you do to that thing? You Shouted at him… Don't tell me you're- "

"Stop talking, you idiot." Roseleigha knew he was going to ask, and now she knew she had to give him answers. "We can talk about it when we get back to Solitude. You need to rest now."

Brynjolf's body suddenly shivered. She stepped away from him for a moment, calling Shadowmere. Once the horse made it up the hill, she had to assist him into the saddle of her mighty steed. She sat in front of him, allowing him to lean his weight onto her back and hold her around the waist. His large and calloused hand gently went up and down her left side, the side that the draugr deathlord had sent flying into the wall. She felt her body heat up in embarrassment, even though she had done the same thing with Arnbjorn. Why did she feel so self-conscious around Brynjolf?

"Something the matter, lass?" he sleepily asked.

She shook her head. "No. Just get some rest. We'll be at Solitude by sunrise."

He rested his forehead on her shoulder and quickly fell asleep. She felt tears of relief and fear pool in her eyes as they road back to Solitude in the depths of the night.


	9. Chapter 9

_AN: I am slightly hesitant to post this chapter, but I hope that no one will be disappointed. I'm trying to figure out where I want the story to go, and how it will get to that point._

 _This doesn't have anything to do with my fanfic, but it's something interesting I just noticed. When Brynjolf runs into the empty vault of the Guild, he says "By the Eight!". However, in the quest Blindsighted, he says "By Talos, Mercer has a lot to answer for". It's just curious that he swears by the Eight Divines, but also by Talos. Perhaps he's found a way to separate Talos from the Eight in order to worship him? He is living in the Rift, after all, a Stormcloak allied hold. Anyway, back to the story. Apologies!_

 _The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is property of Bethesda Softworks. I own nothing but Roseleigha. Thank you for allowing my words to have the privilege of your time._

 **The Seer and Her Thief** , Chapter 9

Emerald eyes flickered open slowly. The first thing they met where the colorless eyes of the woman he had just been having dreams about. Before numbness finally left his body, Brynjolf felt the soft but strong arms of Roseleigha wrap around him. She was nearly laying on top of him, body trembling and sniffling. He took a moment to absorb the moment, letting himself soak in the warmth of her and the amount of emotion she was giving him in one simple hug.

"It's okay, lass," he said. "I'm here. I'm not leaving you."

She finally pulled back, looking into his eyes and frantically wiping the wetness away from hers. "Your ego can never be harmed, even when you're on the brink of death." She looked down at her hands, placed on her thighs as she sat on her bed Brynjolf had just awoke from.

A heavy feeling hit his heart once he remembered where he was and why. "By the Eight, Mercer is going to kill me."

"Don't worry. I sent a message back to the Guild a few days ago. They know we're going to be here for a while," she said, letting out a worrying laugh.

"A few days ago?" he asked. "How long have I been out?" He tried to sit up, but felt her warm and soft hands on both of his shoulders, pushing him back into bed.

"Only two days. As soon as we got back and I had your fever settled, I sent the letter. You still need to rest, though."

"You really are clever, lass."

"And you're ignorant and stubborn, Bryn." She finally let out a genuine laugh.

A moment of silence sat between them for a while as Brynjolf went scrolling back through his memories. He remembered the deafening scream of the dragon priest, the surprise of the frost atronach from behind him knocking him downhill. Nothing could erase the memory of the small built woman in front of him Shouting and the fire spewing from her mouth.

Roseleigha seemed to know exactly where his thoughts were and where they were going.

"I bet you have a lot of questions. I suppose I owe you answers." He simply nodded, knowing she'd be able to answer his questions dead on without him needing to say a word.

"I lied. When I told you about my past. My family wasn't killed by bandits. We were attacked by a dragon."

"A dragon?" Brynjolf couldn't help but blurt out.

"Would you hold your tongue? Talk too much and I won't tell you." She sighed, recomposing herself.

"Right when we were having dinner," she went on. "It came breathing fire right down onto our house, as if its sole mission was to kill me and my family. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. I remember my father trying to calm my siblings while my mother rushed all of us out of the house. My parents grabbed the twins before they tried to leave from the back, but the house collapsed right on top of them." She gritted her teeth as she tried to keep the tears from falling on her face; Brynjolf reached out to hold her hand and she accepted, allowing her small hand to be encompassed by the much larger hand. "I'm never going to forget the look on my brother's face when he saw our father take his last breath, still desperate to get his girls out from the rubble. I had to pull my siblings away. I had to take them to keep them from collapsing; I couldn't let them have the chance to soak in the fact that their parents were gone. I put on a straight face and dragged them away.

"I tried to keep us all together, but the third eldest, Canis, just collapsed. Nirn tried to pull her back up, but she wouldn't move. I had to pick him up and carry him while he punched my back, begging me to let him save Canis. The dragon suddenly swooped down and took her and dropped her into the ocean." Brynjolf felt a warm wetness on the back of his hand, but allowed her to continue through her weeps and sniffles. "I can still hear him scream as she just fell into the sea. Jazibell was nearly a corpse and Nirn was still calling out for Lavender, one of the twins that died with mum. I heard the dragon swoop down again. The next thing I remember is hearing Nirn scream for me and Jazibell. I guess I threw him behind a rock and tackled Jaz to keep her from being dropped into the ocean like Canis.

"I knew I had to do something. If I didn't kill the damn lizard, then all of us were going to die. I told myself it was my responsibility to protect the last members of my family or die trying." She paused for a moment, trying to catch her breath so she could keep going. "I didn't protect them, Bryn. I didn't even die trying. I was the only one that made it out. Why couldn't I save them? All of my baby sisters, my beloved baby brother, they're all dead. I let my dad's blooming flowers get burned alive. How am I supposed to see them in Sovngarde without shame?"

Brynjolf could feel his heart slowly breaking and stopping with every word she said. He finally had enough, reached for her cheek and pulled her face into his chest, hoping to keep her from talking. It worked, but that didn't stop her tears from flowing, dampening his thin tunic that was already filthy and stained mildly with blood. He held her head to his chest while his other arm wrapped around her waist, holding her body close. She was shaking, whimpering, crying, trembling: everything a person does when they're infused with anger, regret, shame, and grief.

After what seemed like hours, the tears had stopped but the heat from her head remained on his chest. He kept his hand firmly on the back of her head, wishing they could be like this forever. And he had a feeling that she felt the same, but maybe that was his enormous ego she had mentioned earlier.

"Rosie?" he asked finally.

She groaned, seeming irritated that he broke the silence. "You just had to talk, didn't you?"

He let out a soft chuckle, keeping her head still on his chest and watching her back rise and sink with her breath. "I just wanted to make sure you're alright."

"I suppose," she whispered. He could still hear the ache in her voice.

"Do you mind telling me the rest?"

She lifted up her head and supported herself on her hand, placed on both sides of Brynjolf. Her gaze stayed in the center of his chest though. He could see her puffy red eyes nonetheless. "I don't know how, but I was able to kill the dragon. As soon as I heard his last roar, I turned and found Nirn. He was looking at me as though I were a monster and then I realized why. The dragon's scales began to be enveloped in light and almost evaporate. I was surrounded by a light and felt as if something was worming its way into my body and soul. I tried running and reaching out to Nirn, hoping to save him, but then…" she paused once more, as if still unsure of what really happened. "He was completely pale, covered in blood. Once I was close enough to him, to touch him, his eyes became absent of life and his head dropped like a boulder to the ground. It was so hard to stay conscious, but also hard to keep myself from screaming. I must have spent a good few hours trying to heal him, to revive him. Mum nearly forced me to learn restoration spells, saying it would save me as it had saved her and da countless times, but I still couldn't save him."

"Rosie…" Brynjolf whispered. "You don't have to keep talking."

Her eyes met his with a determined look on her face. "No. I told you that I owed you answers, so here they are. I know you want to know everything, so this is everything. From the moment I walked into the marketplace and felt your eyes on me, I knew you wouldn't stop until you knew as much as you could about me, most likely bed me as well." She shook her head and let her eyes wander to her hand. "Never mind that last part. Anyway, there was still fire and smoke all around me. I didn't bother to move myself away or Nirn from it. Maybe I was scared, maybe I was stupid. I don't remember. My eyes were so dry from crying and the smoke. That's what blinded me. My own weakness and stupidity."

Brynjolf could see her biting her lip roughly, frustrated with herself. He reached out to touch her cheek, but she snapped her head away and looked at the wall. After a quick moment, she got up and stood against the wall, fixating her eyes on a spot on the opposite wall, just like she had in the training room inside the cistern. Her face was blank and empty of emotion.

"I must have passed out after some time because I woke up in another man's house. I knew something was wrong with everything immediately. I couldn't see, I felt cold, sore, scared, and confused. He tried to help me get my vision back, but it never changed. So he took me in, but I would have rather died back with my folks. I was teaching myself to live and see again, but it didn't help being the servant of asses like they were. He was a Thane of Solitude, with his wife and two kids a little younger than me, mind you I was 12 winters old. Immediately I hated it and tried to run away, but the damn wife always found me before I made it out the gates. I didn't make it out for another 5 years maybe."

"How did you escape?" Brynjolf asked, scared of the answer.

He saw her eyes fill with hatred as she spat out the words, eyes still stuck to the wall, "I stole from them as soon as I had figured out where they kept the money. I was able to kill the wife and make it look like suicide without a problem, making it easy for me to get out the gates. Whore was cheating on her husband since before I had become their servant. She was a terrible mother anyway." Brynjolf's body shook a bit and she laughed at that. "What? You've seen I'm the leader of the Dark Brotherhood, and you know how vicious I am. It's part of my 'spark and attitude', isn't it?"

"I didn't think you had killed a mother and housewife, lass…"

"Don't 'lass' me!" she snapped, fiery white eyes blazing in his direction. "I had no choice. She beat me like she beat her kids, I most likely got off easy though. She tried to sell my body on the streets but I had to get the guts to kill every man she sold me off to and brought the coin to her only to have her spend it on gems and jewelry. That wench whored herself out to nearly any man in the Haafingar! I had to listen to her children sob in the room next to mine at night because she was so abusive to them. She was no housewife and definitely no mother, Brynjolf. She deserved to die." Her top lip rose into a snarl as she growled the words to him. "Do you think me shallow enough to kill a woman who was kind to me, who treated me like their own? Absolutely not! Not after how my family was killed like they did, just because I was born with this goddamned 'blessing' that has turned my life to hell! I should've died in that house fire; my sisters and brother should still be here. My mother was pregnant when she died, did you ever think about that?"

"Rosie, I didn't mean- "

"Stop. Talking." She said firmly, locking his eyes to hers. "I guess opening up to you meant nothing. I'm just a heartless killer now, aren't I?"

"That's not true!" he yelled, groaning at the pain that shot through his chest.

She closed her eyes and sighed, walking out of the room. "You need to rest or that wound will reopen. I'm going out for a while; don't bother trying to find me."

"ROSIE!"

The Nord's scream for her only stayed inside her room once she closed the door. He threw an empty bottle of mead against the wall in frustration and pain. He stared at the ceiling for a long time before his eyelids descended over his gaze.

* * *

 _AN: Odd for me to add a note at the end of a chapter, I know. However, I have long overdue thanks to give to everyone who has reviewed any and all of my chapters._

 _So, thank you to: Zombigail, the first reviewer, you really made me smile; ConnorPerson; mia78; lady73; ShanRhada73, glad I inspired you; P (Guest); Manu (Guest); Nina (Guest); and everyone else who reviewed anonymously. You are all why I continue to write. I'm hopeful that my story will continue to do you all proud._

 _Also, just in case anyone was slightly confused: Roseleigha was never raped. I considered adding that, but I feel that it's too frequent in fanfictions and I can't possibly imagine or put into perspective what a victim of domestic violence/abuse has been though._


	10. Chapter 10

_AN: This is a short chapter, but I feel it's fitting after the length and weight of the previous. I will also not be posting a new chapter Friday. I got ahead of myself and really messed up where the story was going. I want some extra time so that I can get the story back on track and make sure it's of good quality._

 _Also, the note on my previous chapter asked why it seems Brynjolf swears to the Nine Divines, but also Talos. Reviewer twelia brought up an interesting point, saying that Brynjolf may not worship any divines and uses those as expressions, similar to how atheists and others who are not religious say "oh my god/lord". Wanted to include that in case I made others a little curious about it!_

 _The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is property of Bethesda Softworks. I own nothing but Roseleigha. Thank you for allowing my words to have the privilege of your time._

 **The Seer and Her Thief** , Chapter 10

Down by the Sea of Ghosts, tucked snuggly under the northern rocks of Solitude, sits a small shine of Akatosh, one of the Nine Divines and the god that bestows the power of Dragonborn upon mortals. It was originally placed by a Nord man named Gogelf, nearby his family home along the coast. Once a week, on Sundas, he would walk by himself to the shrine, take hold of his amulet, and pray to the dragon god of time.

"Da?" a young girl's voice asked from behind him.

The man jumped slightly, startled by his daughter's voice. He turned and kneeled down to her, his eyes leveled with hers. "What are you doing out here, sweetie?" he asked.

"I just wanted to see where you were going…" she replied with shame and hesitation.

Gogelf picked up the tiny auburn-haired girl, one of his very favorite flowers, and kissed her on the cheek. "You're just like your da. Are you going to grow up and be an adventurer?"

She eagerly nodded, her yellow-green eyes sparkling with excitement. "I wanna go back to Riften, da! I wanna be a master thief like you!"

He chuckled, saddened but proud that his little blooming bud wanted to be just like her father. "I wouldn't call myself a master, little lass. Those Nightingales are masters."

"Are they really real?" she asked, her mouth gaping open.

The proud father chuckled once more, finding it always difficult to lie to his children. "I don't know, lassie. I never met one or seen one."

The girl frowned with disappointment, turning her attention to the small shine of the dragon-god. "Is that a dragon?" she asked.

"Aye, my little lass. That's Akatosh, one of the mighty Nine Divines. He gives people the soul of a dragon."

She gasped. "Really?! I want the soul of a dragon, da! I wanna breathe fire!"

He put her on the ground and allowed her to imitate a dragon; flapping her arms and letting out roars, he laughed at her cute behavior.

"Will you pray with me, lassie?"

The girl was confused for a moment, but nodded. "Aren't dragons evil and scary?" she asked.

"Not this one. He's the divine that let people become Dragonborn, just like Tiber Septim."

"Really?" The adorable look of shock on her face that mirrored her mother's face never ceased to warm his heart.

He nodded, continuing, "Come, little lassie. Pray with me."

Gogelf held open his hand, allowing the tiny, fragile hand to hold on to the amulet of Akatosh he always carried around his neck when not praying. He held onto the amulet and his precious girl's hand and prayed.

While he prayed silently, his daughter whispered her prayers, "Akatosh, please give me the power of a dragon so I can protect my family. I love them very much. Thank you."

He smiled, his daughter continuing to do him proud.

Once done with praying, they both stood up and Gogelf put his flower onto his shoulders, allowing her to sit there and rest her chin atop his head.

"Come on, Rosie. Dinner should be ready and mum won't wait forever."

* * *

The now grown woman walked to the small shine her father had placed all those years ago. She was able to take care of it, and occasionally prayed to Akatosh when she was desperate. She got on her knees, holding her amulet of Akatosh her father had given her shortly after she prayed with him the first time.

She kneeled there in silence, breathing slowly and allowing the cold air to surround her just like she did when she was little.

 _Akatosh_

 _Thank you for the blessing of Dragonborn, but I am afraid that I have failed you. I still cannot protect those I care for and love. If I may ask of one thing once more, please don't take Rune and Bryn from me. They're all I have left._

She allowed herself a few extra moments of breathing to let her emotions rebury themselves and returned to Solitude.


	11. Chapter 11

_AN: I won't drag this note out as long as my others. I'm very tired. So very, very tired. I hope that will not become apparent in this chapter, or future chapters. If it is, please let me know so I can halt further progress in order to put out quality over quantity. Be honest with reviews, please. I appreciate harsh but true words more than kind but false. Thank you very much._

 _Also, I'm thinking about starting a fanfic with Arnbjorn from the Dark Brotherhood questline. If anyone is interested, I'll try having that out in a few weeks' time; I'm putting this fanfic as a priority over a one that I am unsure of what type of direction it will have. Also, I'm too tired to manage two different stories._

 _The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is property of Bethesda Softworks. I own nothing but Roseleigha. Thank you for allowing my words to have the privilege of your time._

 **The Seer and Her Thief** , Chapter 11

Brynjolf remained cooped up in Proudspire Manor for another two days. Roseleigha slept in the room in the basement with the uncomfortable bedroll, even though she preferred a wooden chair. They didn't hold a conversation until they had to pack up to leave for Riften. Even then, talk was at an absolute minimum. He wondered what miracle she had pulled on herself to heal her entire side while he was still feeling the harshness of his fever. _Lass must be torturing me_ , he told himself often. _I deserve it though, don't I?_

His eyes were never able to meet hers. It really seemed like he had walked backwards to when they first met. She was cold and distant; harsh at best. It was difficult for him. They were having fun and getting to know each other. Returning to Riften felt like he was going back in time: their friendship had gone back to nonexistent.

He stayed up one night thinking of her. He tried to imagine how beautiful and innocent she may have been as a child. What color were her eyes? What did she look like when her face lit up with happiness? How did she spend her days? Perhaps Rune could answer his questions, but not now. Perhaps he could ask her himself, but based on how their last trip into her past went, he didn't want to go there again.

He shivered when he thought about the young Nord girl running around with her siblings, navigating their way through a burning house with a dragon haunting above them. Witnessing all seven of her family members die in front of her. He could easily see why she was the woman she is today. Becoming a servant to the Thane of Solitude and his terrible wife only solidified her numbness and distance. But the leader of the Dark Brotherhood?

How did she even find herself in that place? She may have an absence of empathy or any other feeling, really, but going from killing a housewife at 17 to the leader of the Dark Brotherhood was a large leap, no matter how many years passed.

Trying to fall asleep only ended in failure. All he could see was her head pushed again his chest, her body shivering from crying. He would give anything to hold her again and make her feel safe.

* * *

"We're leaving today," Roseleigha had told him the next morning over breakfast. "If we are fast enough, we should be back by Loredas evening. You're ready, right?"

He scoffed and looked at her with suspicion. "This is just more torture, isn't it?" he asked. She turned away and stayed silent. An obvious yes to him. "Look, lass, I didn't mean to hurt you. I don't think- "

"This has nothing to do with it. I don't care what you think about my past. It doesn't change who I am or what I've done." She stared at him coldly.

"Then why are you being so cold to me?" Brynjolf snapped. He was at his wits end. He had enough with her looking at him like they no longer knew each other. He cared for his protégé. He wanted her to look to him like he looked to Mercer; maybe not with as much fear, but with closeness and respect. It didn't matter if there was more. For now.

"I'm acting the same as I was before, Brynjolf." He cringed learning they were no longer on a nickname basis.

"Come on, we both know that's horse shit. You blew up in my face and haven't been the same since. If it really hasn't changed anything, then why are you behaving as if you don't know me?"

She scowled at him. He knew there was no way she could come up with a way to retort his comment, but she was too stubborn to admit defeat.

Brynjolf sighed, knowing they could go until the end of time without settling this conversation. "Alright, lass. Forget I said anything. Let's just finish packing, eh?"

She still looked at him harshly, but her eyes softened. If he didn't know better, he would've said she was beginning to see things from his point of view. It was talking to a female version of himself: cocky, confident, stubborn, and rude. Get on her good side, though, and you have a friend. He didn't even know how people handled him, though. How was he going to handle himself in the body of a cold but beautiful woman?

* * *

They walked together to the stables. Roseleigha strapped the loot to Shadowmere, while Brynjolf's horse carried supplies needed on the trip back. She insisted that they stop every few days to check on his condition, though his fever was gone for a day now and his body no longer ached. _She's being a worrywart_.

"Brynjolf," she said, still with distance. "I studied medicines, herbs, and restoration while my mother was alive. I'm just making sure Shadowmere and I don't need to carry you back to the Guild."

He smirked. _So, she was thinking about me, eh?_ "I'm alright, lass," he replied. Suddenly, he remembered the pack that Rune had given him before he left for the trip. "Sorry, lass. I must've forgotten this."

He gently passed the sack of herbs to the blind woman, watching her mouth drop open slightly. The look of shock on her face was rather adorable. "Where did you…"

"Rune gave it to me before we left. I think I understand what that all means now."

She nodded and took an unsteady breath. "My siblings and I were named after plants. Da said he named us that because they loved to watch us grow and blossom." She smiled with nostalgia while he slowly mounted his horse.

"Do you think of your folks often?" he asked.

She shook her head and lead the way down the road. "I used to, but I don't see the point in it anymore. It just makes me sad. Why should I dwell on something that makes me miserable when I can move on and be happy?"

"And are you happy?"

She smiled, but he knew it was a fake. "More or less. I'm a thief and assassin. Besides Rune, I have no friends or family."

He pulled his horse in front of her, cutting her off. "Hang on. I think you're forgetting something."

"I have the Dark Brotherhood, of course."

"No, not that, lass."

"The Thieves' Guild?" She scoffed. "Please, it's just a dysfunctional gathering of misfits."

"So is the Dark Brotherhood, lass."

She pursed her lips, thinking. "I suppose you're right. But it's _my_ dysfunctional gathering of misfits. There's a big difference between a leader who dedicates herself to the wellbeing of her family versus the dedication of a leader to wealth and power of the man in charge, that being himself."

Brynjolf furrowed his brows. "Are you talking about Mercer?"

She sighed deeply and urged Shadowmere forward. "Never mind. I suppose everything will be fine in due time."

He caught up and rode next to her, his mind in a flurry. "What do you mean, 'he dedicates the wealth and power to himself'? We're all thieves there, lass. Of course he's concerned with his wealth. Just as the wealth of the Guild."

"Just forget I said anything, Brynjolf. Do we need to stop at Dragon's Bridge or are you okay until Rorisktead?"

He looked at her angrily, but she kept her eyes straight ahead. "I'm fine. I could go until Whiterun if you weren't so pushy."

"I am _not_ being pushy. I'm trying to keep you well enough so we can enjoy a drink instead of a lecture from Mercer."

A smiled danced across his face as he could see her cheeks pink from her sudden admission. "I must say, lass, I didn't expect that."

Her cheeks continued to become brightly colored. "What? Is there something wrong with me wanting to have a drink?"

Brynjolf snickered and looked down the road. "Not a single thing. I'll be sure to treat you once we get back."

"Shut up, Bryn."

He couldn't help but let out a toothy grin, hearing his nickname from the girl that finally let her walls down for him again; he hoped with all his heart that it stayed that way.


	12. Chapter 12

_AN: From this point forward, I will be following slightly more closely to the Thieves' Guild questline. However, I have my own spin I'm hoping you will enjoy. I've read some Brynjolf/TLDB fanfics on my own and seem to see a pattern. I hope to breathe some fresh life into this storyline that other fanfics have not done before, as I have done with Roseleigha!_

 _Sadly, there is_ _no_ _chance Brynjolf and TLDB get chances to be alone for long periods of time or on jobs/missions in the actual Skyrim game. That's always made me upset, especially since once you become Guild Master, Brynjolf shuns you basically. Which is why I have repeated through the Thieves Guild questline about 100 times easily (oops), and why I sent Roseleigha and Brynjolf to Volskygge._

 _Volskygge is also an interesting dungeon to go through and I suggest looking up the hilarious way to skip the entire thing for Volsung's mask and the Shout._

 _Thank you to everyone for continuing to review. I read every review with a smile on my face and a lightening feeling in my heart and body. You all make me very happy and bring joy into my otherwise meek life. Once more, from the whole of my heart, thank you for making me feel special. I'm working my hardest to make sure not to disappoint!_

 _The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is property of Bethesda Softworks. I own nothing but Roseleigha. Thank you for allowing my words to have the privilege of your time._

 **The Seer and Her Thief** , Chapter 12

Brynjolf and Roseleigha returned to the cistern Loredas evening, close to midnight just as she predicted. They didn't stop as often as she thought they would need to, but the constant run-in with bandits and wolves didn't help. It wasn't that there was any threat from them, it was simply that Brynjolf overestimated himself and ended up winded on the first two days of travel.

The consistent grace he maintained while duel-wielding his ebony daggers took her breath away. It wasn't a dance. It was more magical and majestic than that. The way he maneuvered his strong frame while killing whatever he set as his target was beyond words. He may be in his late twenties or very early thirties, but he moved as if he had spent fifty years with daggers in his hands.

Admiration wasn't lost on his part, though. Brynjolf had never seen someone manage to effortlessly execute a man from horseback with a bow, _and_ she was blind, more or less. Roseleigha had caught him staring at her in awe, but she pretended she didn't see as she herself took solid looks at his techniques.

As soon as she entered the cistern, Roseleigha was welcomed with strong arms wrapped around her body. She hardly had enough time to get her feet off the ladder and onto the floor when she was swept up into a "welcome home" hug.

"Rosie!" the man sighed with relief. "I can't believe you left without saying good-bye to me!"

She didn't bother to free herself from the embrace, instead accepting this as her punishment. "I'm sorry, Rune," she said. "I'm not used to people worrying about me."

He frowned, saddened. "I'm sorry, sis. I should've looked for you after- "

"Stop," his words were met with a finger to his lips and an endearing look from the colorless eyes. "If anyone is sorry, it's me. I could've told you I was alive, but I thought you'd be better off thinking I was dead."

A loud clearing of the throat came from above the ladder. "Hate to break up the reunion," Brynjolf started, "but I have some things to do too!"

Rune and Roseleigha moved away from the ladder and went their separate ways: Rune into the Flagon and Roseleigha waiting for Brynjolf to come down so they could check in with Mercer.

* * *

"Hmm…" the Breton hummed. "This is an awful lot from just one dusty old ruin. I should send you into more of them soon, Roseleigha."

She sighed, both in relief and aggravation. She didn't want to go back into those things for Mercer of all people.

"What happened to Goldenglow?" Brynjolf asked.

"Ah, yes," Mercer turned his attention to a small parchment paper on his desk. "Thrynn was able to get in and out, given his knowledge of bandits and mercenaries. We found this inside the safe."

Roseleigha's heart raced. She was upset someone else had taken Goldenglow, but she wasn't surprised Mercer already assigned the job to someone else. He handed Brynjolf a piece of paper. He unfolded in and read it. She read it along with him, though she didn't need to.

"What's this symbol at the top mean?" Brynjolf asked. They both looked up at Mercer in unison

"We aren't sure, but that doesn't matter for now. Maven Black-Briar wants to see Roseleigha about another job and about Volskygge."

She nodded. "Sure, but will I come out of there alive?"

Brynjolf chuckled while Mercer grunted. "She'd call the Dark Brotherhood if she was _that_ upset with you. Considering your status in that organization, you'd be the first to know whether she's unhappy or not."

Roseleigha sensed Brynjolf tense up at the comment. She knew that Mercer knew about her being the head of the Brotherhood since Astrid died, but Brynjolf must not have been ready for his boss to know that.

She sighed and walked out the cistern, preparing for her meeting with Maven.

"Be careful, lass," Brynjolf warned her.

She laughed. "Come on, Bryn," she returned in a whisper only he could hear. "I killed a damn dragon priest before your eyes and you question if I can take on Maven?"

He smiled, happy that she was joking again.

* * *

 _Damn these skeevers to Oblivion_ , she thought to herself. Going into the underground workings of Honningbrew Meadery was terrible. Roseleigha never felt claustrophobic before, but she certainly did now. Actually, she _desperately_ wished to return to the damp cistern. At least it was open there and she didn't have to worry about traps.

As she deposited the poison into the skeever's nest, she picked up Hamelyn's Journal: some crazy old man that lived down there that had an odd obsession with skeevers and experimentation with them. Despite her training not to feel sympathy, she couldn't help but have pity on the man. She was also a social outcast with her own oddities. Too bad the man wasn't very friendly. She might have spared him, had he tried not to light her on fire.

She sighed and emptied the last of the poison into Honningbrew's vat. The mead smelled delicious and she couldn't help but snatch some bottles as she grabbed the key and exited the boilery.

As soon as Commander Caius tipped the tankard up and let the mead touch his lips, he spat it out in anger and made a comically disgusted face. She and Mallus Maccius struggled slightly to contain their laughter. Once Sabjorn had been "escorted" to Dragonsreach Dungeon and Mallus was put in charge, Roseleigha quickly took the key to Sabjorn's dresser and obtained the letter to his no-longer-silent partner.

She was satisfied to see the familiar symbol at the top of the parchment. The Nord put it into her pack and returned to the Guild. Of course, after she grabbed the Honningbrew Decanter in the next room.

* * *

"This doesn't tell me much," Maven said as she examined the note. "The only thing that could identify Sabjorn's partner is this odd little symbol."

"I've seen it before," Roseleigha interjected. "The same symbol was involved with Goldenglow as well."

"Whoever is behind this will regret starting a war with me." A spiteful look emerged on Maven's face. "Take this information to the Thieves Guild immediately. Oh, and I suppose you earned this." She handed a large, full purse to Roseleigha. "I'm sure you'll find it more than sufficient compensation."

Roseleigha nodded and made her way out of the Bee and Barb and back into the cistern.

 _Like I would complain about how much a Black-Briar pays me to their face._

* * *

She returned to the Ragged Flagon's cistern and instantly felt like thousands of bricks suddenly dropped on her shoulders and back. She hadn't rested for more than a few hours since she went off to Honningbrew. She flopped herself into her chair and stared at the ceiling, ignoring the presence waiting in her bed.

"Welcome back, sis," Rune said with a smile.

"Hello, brother." Her eyes closed and refused to open.

"How'd the job go?" He sat on the edge of her bed, looking at her eagerly.

"Successful, but a bit challenging. I had no idea how insane some people get because they're rejects."

He laughed. "Not everyone is as strong as you, Rosie."

A sigh escaped her exhausted body. "I'm not strong. I'm simply smart enough to move on with my life."

She felt warm hands wrap around hers. "A lot of people can't do that."

"A lot of people also aren't Dragonborn."

The hands loosened and retreated from hers as Rune laid back onto her bed. "Fine. You win, as always."

Her chest tightened up. Why did she have to be so cruel to the man that still stayed by her like no time has passed? She failed to tell him she was alive, to tell him that she still thought about him every day, to tell him it killed her slowly to know he was mourning their family's death while she had moved on. She was treating him like her baby brother still, but now he was a man. Still soft-hearted and sweet like a snuggly stuffed toy, as always, but he had grown up.

"I'm really sorry, Rune," she finally admitted softly. "I haven't been the best sister for you."

Her eyes flew open as the body of her brother pressed into hers in a large and forgiving hug. "Be quiet, Rosie. I'm grateful that you're here, and I'm never letting you leave me again."

She nodded and returned the hug, hiding her watery eyes in the chest of her only living family.


	13. Chapter 13

_AN: I'm sorry for the extremely delayed update. I've been having writer's block and I've been busy trying to figure some personal things out. Hopefully this gap hasn't caused me to lose anyone. And I'm hopeful that this break hasn't ruined my writing skill._

 _In addition, I have been piecing together a new fanfiction. It involved a new OC, Arnbjorn, and Lucien Lachance (not all at once though, yikes). I'm unsure of whether I will actually publish any of it. It's all been in pieces and ideas put down sloppily. If enough are curious enough, I'll try putting out a chapter, but I'm struggling enough to keep up with this fanfic. We'll see._

 _The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is property of Bethesda Softworks. I own nothing but Roseleigha. Thank you for allowing my words to have the privilege of your time._

 **The Seer and Her Thief** , Chapter 13

Running is all she had been doing for months. She was out of Solitude, but what now? Her family was dead, her "adoptive family" was now dead to her, and no one was left. She had nowhere to go. She didn't even know where to start.

Living out in the woods was a nightmare. Five years of being in the house of nobility dulled her skills. Though she was a servant, in all means, she was living a very pampered lifestyle. She wasn't used to being out in the wild, and being blind only made it worse. She had to adjust now. Quickly.

After being able to steal a bow and some arrows from a shop in Dragon Bridge, she went on her way further south. She had an idea of where to go: Riften. She remembered going there once with her father once when she was a child, 7 winters old perhaps? The people there were… more her style.

She relaxed and stared into the night sky, thinking about her last trip to Riften.

" _Daddy!" she jumped with excitement. "Look at the horsies!"_

 _He chuckled, looking down at his little flower. "I know, sweetie. Do you wanna pet one?"_

 _She gasped and opened her eyes wide. "Pleeaaasee?" she begged._

 _Her father laughed and whispered something to the man standing by the stables, dropping a few coins in his hand. The man nodded as her father picked her up, putting her on his shoulders._

" _Go on," he said. "But be slow. Don't want you to get hurt, alright?"_

 _She kissed her dad on top of his head. "I promise I'll be careful, da."_

 _He smiled, watching his daughter reach out to the horse and softly touching its nose. She rested her chin on top of her father's head and hummed happily._

 _The two spent time with the horse and then entered Riften._

" _Da," the little girl asked, still atop his shoulders. "Why didn't mum and Nirn come?"_

 _He laughed. "Would you rather be with them, lassie?"_

 _She immediately shook her head. "No! I just thought… mum would like the colors here. It's so pretty back home, too. But it's like a whole other world here!"_

" _It is, indeed," he sighed, thinking back to his youth._

" _Da?" she asked. "Do you miss it here?"_

 _He stopped walking and put her to the ground, kneeling beside her and looking her in the eye. "What do you know?" he asked in return._

" _N-nothing!" she said in a rush. "Mum just said you two used to live here, and you really liked it. I-I was just curious…"_

 _He sighed again. "Yes, I do. But my life is with my little flowers now. And with your mother. All of that means more than any memories I have here."_

 _His daughter frowned. "I love you, da…"_

" _I love you too, Rosie."_

She chuckled. Ten years later, it makes more sense now. She wondered why her dad snapped when she mentioned his past in Riften, but she believed that she had figured it out now.

"I'll make you proud, da."

* * *

Brynjolf thought back to the dream of the blind woman he had from the previous night. She was beautiful: out of her normal brown Thieves Guild outfit and in a sheer mossy-green nightgown that complimented auburn her hair. She practically glowed, and she was _smiling_. Happy to be with him, he hoped. It was his dream, after all.

Her body was beautiful. All the way from her thin neck, round shoulders, full breasts, thin waist, toned abdomen, wide hips, and strong thighs. It was like she was crafted from his dreams. Well, since he was in a dream, she was technically, but he didn't care right now.

The rising sun illuminated her features as it shone in through the windows. They were resting in the double bed in her manor in Solitude. He remembered how comfortable the bed was when he was recovering in it, and how much more comfortable it would be lying next to a woman like her. No, not _just_ a woman like her, but actually _her_.

The slam of a fist against a table sent him out of his thoughts. "Are you even listening?" A soft male voice said in a harsh tone.

Brynjolf focused on the Imperial's face, worry washing over him secretly. "Sorry, Rune," he said. "Didn't sleep well last night."

"Dreaming of my sister?" he asked, an angry smile on his face.

Trying to feign innocence, Brynjolf reacted immediately, "What? Hang on, lad, you got the wrong idea. Rosie and I aren't like that."

Rune laughed back at him. "I'm just giving you a hard time." He roughly clapped Brynjolf on the shoulder. "But don't forget, if you hurt her, I won't hesitate to hang you by your ankles above some hungry slaughterfish."

Once Rune was far enough away, Brynjolf let out a laugh. "Poor lad," he whispered to himself. "If anyone is going to get hurt, it's me."

* * *

Brynjolf paced around the cistern floor. Roseleigha had gone off to Solitude to question Gulum-Ei about the mysterious buyer involved in Goldenglow and Honningbrew, but she had been gone for more than two weeks now. He wasn't getting nervous for her, but more anxious to find how who it was. Whoever this person was, they were going to pay dearly.

The Nord tried to imagine their motive. Money? No, that couldn't be it. They would need a fortune to buy and fund both properties out from under Maven Black-Briar. Power? But what type of power would someone gain from owning a bee farm and meadery who had a past with the Black-Briars?

No. This person wanted revenge. They were hungry for it. Revenge for what, though? They weren't killers. The Thieves Guild was simply a band of misfit thugs who had landed on their asses in a bout of bad luck, as Delvin put it. A curse, rather.

Brynjolf stopped walking for a moment. _Maybe he is right, though. His other thought was that someone was piss-drunk mad at them. Old coot might end up being right._

The sound of the hidden entrance opening shook him from his thoughts. He saw the shadow of the slim woman smoothly but swiftly make its way to Mercer's desk. He moved in closer to listen.

"Karliah…" Mercer whispered. His eyes were wide open in disbelief.

 _Karliah_. The name made his blood boil. This was no mere annoyance to be taken care of anymore. This was now a serious issue regarding the very future of every Thieves Guild member. Brynjolf gritted his teeth.

"This is grave news, indeed," Mercer continued. "She's someone I hoped to never cross paths with again."

"Gulum-Ei also told me she was a murderer," Roseleigha responded.

"Karliah destroyed everything this Guild stood for. She murdered my predecessor in cold blood and betrayed the Guild."

Roseleigha didn't seem to be shocked by all of this, though this was her first time hearing about it clearly. She was extremely dedicated to the Guild; why wasn't she upset by this?

"Karliah and I were like partners," Mercer sighed. "I went with her on every heist. We watched each other's backs. I know her techniques, her skills. If she kills me, there'll be no one left that could possibly catch her."

Roseleigha seemed to whisper something under her breath, but both Mercer and Brynjolf were unable to catch it. "Gulum-Ei told me she was 'Where the end began'," she then spoke confidently.

"There's only one place that could be. The place where she murdered Gallus... A ruin called Snow Veil Sanctum. We have to go out there before she disappears again."

"We?"

"Yes, I'm going with you and together, we are going to kill her."

Brynjolf sat himself against the wall, processing the information he just heard. Mercer and Roseleigha talked a little bit longer while he simply stared into the small pool in the middle of the cistern.

Was Karliah truly back to end the Guild for good? Or did she just want Mercer dead so she could be free? No one else in the Guild knew much about Karliah or her skills. If he was gone, only the gods could pass judgment on her for what she did to Gallus.

"Bryn?" his friend's voice came from above him.

He jumped up and dragged her back to the Ragged Flagon, into his room he shared with Delvin.

"What is Karliah up to?" he asked angrily.

"I can't talk about that," she said.

"Why not?" He was losing his temper. "You told Mercer where she was. Let me come with you."

"Why should I?" She yanked her arm away from his unaware grip, rubbing where his fingers dug into her muscle. "What are you going to do? Kill her?"

"Why shouldn't I? After all she's done? Do you have any idea about how she tore the Guild apart, _murdered_ the last Guild Master, nearly destroyed us?!"

She flinched at his harsh words. He had never seen her like this before. It was as if she was taking every word to her core. Her body shook with a chill.

"Answer me, damnit!" He slammed his fist into the wall next to her.

He was livid. He didn't even know why he was so upset. He had just joined the Guild when Gallus was murdered. Mercer was always the Guild Master to him; he was his teacher and mentor. Gallus didn't really mean anything to him, but the news of his murder made everyone angry and on edge: it always had and it always will.

Every thief in the Guild was sad at the mention of Gallus. Everyone scorned at the name _Karliah_. No one wanted to mention either of them anymore because it would always bring in a heavy air into the sewers.

Roseleigha looked straight into Brynjolf's eyes. She was cornered now, trapped between his large body and the wall, and she dared not to move. The pearls in her eye sockets were beautiful as always, but they were even more stunning right now. They showed weakness, a fragile side of this cold woman he had seen only once before. It was heartbreaking, but exciting in an odd way too.

He looked down to her lips. They were still a pale pink, but were a bit chapped. Probably from the trip back from Solitude. Despite being chapped, though, they looked soft. _So_ soft.

She sighed and began to speak. "Your anger is unnecessary, Brynjolf. I have to go. Mercer believes he knows where Karliah is. I'm going with him, and you are _not_ coming." He let her brush past him and leave the room. She lingered in the doorway and looked at him with lots of worry in her blank eyes. "I'm going to prepare for the trip. I'm very sorry, Bryn. Please take care of Rune for me."

Before he could protest or ask questions, she rushed off to her room. He sat on his bed rubbing his knuckles, staring vacantly ahead of him.


	14. Chapter 14

_AN: I'm sorry if any of you are looking to read an in-depth passage about Roseleigha and Mercer traveling together through Snow Veil Sanctum. Honestly, I don't want to write that much about it. It wouldn't venture far from the actual quest. I hate writing action scenes. I hate reading them, too. I apologize if you enjoy them, but I do not. Anyway, if you're a Brynjolf/Dragonborn fanfiction reader, you know what happens in Snow Veil Sanctum. I'm including the last part of this quest, which actually has some of my original spin on it, so don't worry._

 _I'm also including a small bit of Karliah's backstory, which is non-cannon. It's just about Karliah's relationship with Roseleigha._

 _I personally love Karliah. Her voice is extremely seductive and sexy, her eyes are very unique, and she made me fall in love with being a dark elf._

 _Anyway, on with it._

 _The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is property of Bethesda Softworks. I own nothing but Roseleigha. Thank you for allowing my words to have the privilege of your time._

 **The Seer and Her Thief** , Chapter 14

The winters in Skyrim were even colder out in the wild than they were when she was still with her family. The Nord laid down on her bed roll and small tent she managed to steal from a bandit camp somewhere in Whiterun Hold, covering herself in two sabre cat pelts she skinned a few days ago. She rested her eyes as she listened to the snowstorm outside and her stomach crying out for food. She had not had food in a while, being that she either burned it or accidentally made herself sick from undercooking it.

Adjusting to how things were in the wild was extremely difficult. With the nobles, if she messed something up, the wife would be there to scold her in a heartbeat. She didn't have to think of everything in life or death terms. Now, her life depended mostly on her sight: how to hunt, how to fight, and how to cook. She would be dead if another dragon came for her.

She thought back to her family. She hadn't thought about them for years, trying to block out the memory of them and that damn dragon. It killed all of her family, and it took away her childhood. It sent her to those uptight asshole nobles. It made her go blind.

Warm water started to pool in her eyes. She would give anything to see her family again, feel the warmth of her mother and father's arms around her. She wrapped her arms around herself, desperate for a hug. She wanted to be hugged. She wanted to feel the warmth of someone she loves close to her.

She allowed her silent sobs to carry her into an unsatisfying sleep.

Awakening the next day, she decided to go find a house to rob. Maybe get some food, warm up, gather up some coin to enjoy a night at an inn. _Finally, to sleep under a roof not made out of worn down leather_ , she thought.

She carefully hid close to the wall of a house and waited under she heard the owner leave. They locked the door, but she had been practicing lock picking since the nobles took her in. She felt around the door until she found the lock and carefully slid her pick into it, moving it around until she heard the relieving _click_ from it.

Opening and closing the door as quickly as possible, she stuck low to the floor and close to the wall. She wasn't good at navigating around new places. Years of being nearly trapped inside a house of nobility dulled the senses, and without her most important sense, she was at a severe disadvantage.

 _Find some gold and get out_ , she told herself over and over again. Beginning to get an uncomfortable feeling inside of a stranger's house shouldn't be something a thief should be capable of. She continued to stay close to the wall, but in her panic, tripped over a small table.

 _Get out now!_ her brain screamed. She quickly scurried to her feet, only to be met by a cold and sharp feeling to her neck and an intense pressure to her back.

"Don't. Move," the voice whispered to her. It was that of a woman's voice, and had a slightly foreign accent.

Roseleigha's mind raced, but not in fear of being jailed or killed. It raced to make assumptions about the person who was holding her. It had to be a woman who was not from Skyrim, but here long enough to dull her accent. She definitely wasn't a Nord by her soft voice and delicate arms and fingers.

"What are you doing in my house, kid?" the voice broke her from her thoughts.

She stayed silent. This person wouldn't buy any excuse. "You know why I'm here," Roseleigha replied.

The woman behind her sighed and put her blade away. Roseleigha felt relief over her body, but didn't dare turn to face the person she was just trying to rob. She knew they would take pity in her lack of sight and treat her like a baby, but she was far from a child now.

"You can look at me," the voice said, getting further away. "I know you can't see."

Roseleigha whipped around, unable to pin where the woman was now. "How did you know?" she asked.

A giggle came from the woman. "What person with sight would walk into a table that had been in front of them for the last twenty paces? I have to admit, you're a good sneak, but you haven't been using your other senses to their potential. When did you go blind?"

"About five years ago," she responded instinctively. She didn't know why, but she felt that she could trust this person.

"You do not need to be afraid of me. I know that you are scared; you are tired; you are hungry. I can teach you how to be a thief." Roseleigha gasped when she felt soft and slender arms embrace her. "I can only assume that your parents have been gone for a long time. You have been struggling to find ways and reasons to keep breathing. I can get you back on your feet and living again. I can make you walk among the shadows."

"Teach me," she whispered into the chest of the woman. "I want to be alive again."

An approving sigh came above her. The same hands that threatened her not two minutes ago now sat gently on her shoulders as the woman now looked into her white eyes. "Good. My name is Karliah. Welcome to the world of thieves and shadows."

* * *

Approaching Snow Veil Sanctum's main chamber, Roseleigha felt her heart racing. It was time for everything to come together. Time to face the person who was setting up the Guild to fall flat on its ass. She was tired of seeing the Guild struggle, they both were.

As the big door that should've been unable to open slid down, since the claw was long gone, Roseleigha stepped ahead of Mercer into the large open area. She braced herself briefly for the pain to come, and sure enough, a sharp burning sensation hit her in the abdomen. She collapsed to the floor, desperate to keep herself conscious in order to witness the scene before her.

* * *

Mercer stepped further into the chamber, and Karliah followed suit. She now was face-to-face with the person her killed her former Guild Master, her former boss, and her love.

"Do you honestly think your arrow will reach me before my blade finds your heart?" he asked.

"Give me a reason to try," she spat back with hate.

"You're a clever girl, Karliah. Buying Goldenglow Estate and funding Honningbrew Meadery was inspired."

"'To ensure an enemy's defeat, you must first undermine his allies.'" she recalled fondly. "It was the first lesson Gallus taught us."

"You always were a quick study."

"Not quick enough, otherwise Gallus would still be alive."

"Gallus had his wealth and he had you. All he had to do was look the other way."

Karliah began to feel her heart hurt and her blood boil. "Did you forget the Oath we took as Nightingales? Did you expect him to simply ignore your methods?"

Mercer looked right back at her with hatred and disgust. "Enough of this mindless banter!" He quickly unsheathed both of his blades and faced her, ready to kill once more. "Come, Karliah. It's time for you and Gallus to become reunited!"

Quickly downing an invisibility potion, she left the man promptly. "I'm no fool, Mercer. Crossing blades with you would be a death sentence. But I can promise the next time we meet, it will be your undoing."

She retreated to the back of the main chamber to witness exactly what she expected. Mercer approached her downed friend, thankfully still conscious, and decided to leave her with words as well.

"Karliah has provided me with the means to be rid of you, and this ancient tomb becomes your final resting place. But do you know what intrigues me the most? The fact that this was all possible because of you. Farewell. I'll be certain to give Brynjolf your regards."

Mercer's blade was swiftly impaled into Roseleigha's chest, right near her heart. It pained Karliah to see her student so brutally attacked while she was forced to watch from afar, but her poison will keep her Nord friend alive.

The Breton retreated out of the tomb, presumably to joyfully return to the Guild with news that Roseleigha was dead and Karliah was subdued, for now.

Her thoughts turned to Rune and Brynjolf. The poor men both cared for Roseleigha so deeply, and she cared for both of them just as much. She may not admit it, but every time she talked about Brynjolf, her white eyes lit up a little bit and she smiled a little more. Of course, she loved Rune too, and was happy to finally meet him once more. But she was beginning to see herself and Gallus repeated in Roseleigha and Brynjolf.

Karliah stopped herself at that thought and rushed to the side of her injured friend, now unconscious. There was minimal blood loss and she still had a strong pulse. All she needed was a few days of rest, and then they could plan their next move.

* * *

As Roseleigha felt her body become warmer, she rushed to get up and get moving again. Her memories of Mercer and his confession slowly came back to her.

"Easy, easy!" A comforting voice filled her ears as she stood up. She felt the slender body of her teacher by her side, supporting her. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright," Roseleigha replied. "That hurt a lot."

Karliah chuckled. "Which part? My arrow or Mercer's sword?"

"Both!" she exclaimed, in a joking and serious manner. Karliah smiled.

Just as quickly as she smiled, though, she turned serious. "We must act quickly, now," she started. Roseleigha nodded. "Gallus' body was indeed in there. I found his final journal."

"What does it say?"

"I wish I knew," the Dunmer woman said sadly to her Nord companion. "It's all written in a different language."

"Perhaps someone could translate it?" Roseleigha suggested.

Karliah's eyes shot wide open as she looked at her student. "Enthir… Gallus' friend at the College. Of course…"

"What?" Roseleigha tilted her head, curious.

"It's the only outsider Gallus trusted with the knowledge of his Nightingale identity."

Roseleigha nodded. "Right, I'm off to Winterhold then."

"Wait a moment," she rushed and grabbed her student's arm. "You still need some rest. That wound may open again and my poison is out of your system, it won't be there to stop the bleeding."

The Nord chuckled. "Karliah, have you forgotten? I'm Dragonborn, as well as an excellent healer. I have Shadowmere, too. Winterhold is not far; I will be there by morning."

Karliah sighed. "Fine. Be quick, my friend. I'll make preparations to lay Gallus' remains to rest."

Roseleigha wrapped her arms around Karliah tenderly. "I'm glad we were finally able to find him, Karliah. Please take all the time you need."

The Dunmer nodded. "I will join you as soon as I can."

With some assistance, Roseleigha mounted Shadowmere and began riding off toward Winterhold.


	15. Chapter 15

_AN: Apologies for the long wait. I won't bore you with the details, but thank you to everyone who is still reading my stories._

 _The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is property of Bethesda Softworks. I own nothing but Roseleigha. Thank you for allowing my words to have the privilege of your time._

* * *

 **The Seer and Her Thief** , Chapter 15

Brynjolf awoke like any other morning. He did his morning stretches and breathing exercises, followed by a trip to the Flagon and a chat with Delvin. Drinking a bit of mead every morning did help to settle his nerves over what his boss and protégé could be up to. Karliah was somehow involved, that could only mean hell for Roseleigha.

"Thinkin' 'bout your girl again?" Delvin asked, peering into his friend's face. "You been thinkin' about her since she left with the boss, eh?"

"Come on, Del," he replied. "Being away with Mercer for that long is enough reason to worry over anyone. And if Karliah is in the mix, it's even more troublesome."

"Do you really think she's come back for vengeance?"

"I don't know what to think at this point, friend. All we can do is wait." Brynjolf relaxed back in his chair. _Divines know I hate the goddamn waiting._

"What are you boys talking about?" a female voice asked from above.

Delvin looked up, smile instantly on his face. "Ah, Ton! We were just talking 'bout the new recruit."

Tonilia giggled, sitting down with the two men. "I would hardly call her new. She's been here for seven months now. We've gotten two more recruits since she's been here, too."

Brynjolf closed his eyes and stroked his chin, remembering when Garthar joined and Etienne Rarnis returned after being gone for months, suddenly very friendly and close to Roseleigha.

"I wouldn't call Etienne a new recruit. He was here long before Rosie was," Delvin said back.

"Sure, but he didn't come back until she did… whatever she did." Tonilia said.

"Whatever," the Breton retorted. "I think we can all agree that the girl has turned our luck around."

Both Tonilia and Brynjolf broke into a small fit of laughter at that. "Come on, Del, you've got to give that bad luck and curse nonsense a rest!" Brynjolf slapped his friend on the shoulder, but that didn't keep the man from looking serious.

"Knock it off, Bryn. I'm not jokin'." Delvin drained the remaining mead from his tankard into his mouth and looked between the two. "Listen, things have been changing 'ere since Rosie came along. There's no denyin' that. Lady Luck really smiles upon the girl. Better yet, she is our Lady Luck."

Tonilia sighed at the man's theory. "The poor girl already has troubles dealing with Mercer. Now you want to tell me she's a charm for the Guild? Wouldn't want to be in her shoes."

Vipir suddenly burst through the false storage cabinet leading to the cistern. "Bryn, Del, Vex!" he yelled, out of breath. The three rose to their feet while Tonilia returned to the bar.

"What's wrong, boy?" Vekel asked. "You're bothering my customers."

Vipir shook his head. "Never mind that, Vekel! Mercer is back and he wants to talk to everyone."

Brynjolf rushed past him, not bothering to ask questions.

* * *

Mercer leaned over his desk, seeming pained. He was deep in thought when his second-in-command came rushing to him with a frantic look on his face.

"Where's Roseleigha?" he asked in an urgent voice.

"Easy, Brynjolf," Mercer said, trying to keep the agitation out of his voice. He removed Brynjolf's hands from his collar that he didn't seem to know were there. "That's what I wanted to talk to everyone about."

Brynjolf turned around to see everyone gathered around the circular pond in the middle of the cistern. He felt his heart drop into his stomach.

Mercer walked to the center while Brynjolf continued to look horrified. He cleared his throat, letting it be the only sound besides the rushing water to echo through the cistern. "I have just returned from Snow Veil Sanctum. As you all know, that is the same site where our former Guild Master, Gallus, was murdered. Roseleigha came to me with information that Karliah was the one behind Goldenglow and Honningbrew. She also said Karliah was hiding in Snow Veil Sanctum."

Mercer exhaled and continued, "When I left with Roseleigha, I was prepared to end Karliah's life. I'm sure Karliah was just as prepared to end mine. But… Roseleigha got between us. She led the way into the main chamber, and Karliah shot her. I was unable to catch up to her before she disappeared."

"Rosie…" Brynjolf whispered. He didn't believe a word that Mercer was saying. He knew it couldn't be true, no matter how many times the words kept echoing in his head.

Mercer turned to face Brynjolf, then looked at every member of the Guild, then back to Brynjolf again. "She asked me to give you her regards, Brynjolf. I know how close you two were, and I'm sorry."

The whole Ratway went quiet. It was as if the entire sewer was sent into disbelief. It didn't even seem that the water was making sound.

Why? How? It didn't make any sense to him. Simply shot by Karliah and dead? She was the Dragonborn. She was supposed to be able to survive the breath of hundreds of dragons, brave through massive legions of the undead. Hell, she was able to handle a dragon priest after being hurled against a wall ten minutes earlier. She should've been able to heal the wound.

"Brynjolf!" Mercer shouted at him. "I know she meant a lot to you, but we need to get back to work. There are still plenty of jobs that need to be done. Get to them."

Everyone ushered back to work, except Rune and Brynjolf. They both couldn't accept the death of their beloved Rosie.

"Rune?" Brynjolf walked over to him. "Can I buy you a drink?"

The Imperial did nothing but nod and follow the Nord out of the cistern.

* * *

The two found themselves in a small room of the Bee and Barb with many bottles of Black-Briar mead littering the floor. They stayed silent while the liquor ran down their throats.

"She can't be dead," Rune finally whispered after finishing his bottle. Neither of them were keeping track of the number.

Brynjolf stayed silent.

"She just can't be dead. She survived having her home being burned to the ground and watching her family members be slaughtered by a dragon. How could one arrow bring her down?"

Silence.

"Say something, damn it!" Rune threw a bottle just past Brynjolf to have it shatter on the wall behind him. By a miracle, he was unhurt, but Rune was furious.

"You think I want to believe it?" Brynjolf whispered. "I don't know what to think now, Rune. I don't want her to be gone. But if she really is, then we can't do anything about it."

"What are you talking about?" Rune questioned. "Do you even know who she is, Bryn?"

"Yes, I know!" he returned, raising his voice. "And that's why I don't want to believe it either! But why would Mercer lie to us about it, lad? Nothing is gained from one of our most successful members playing dead. She was our strongest thief. There isn't anything we gain from this."

Rune sighed in defeat, burying his head in his hands as his shoulders began to shake from the silent sobs.

Brynjolf didn't blame him for denying Rosie's death. He believed he lost her before. He could only hope for the gods to send her back to them.

"I'm sorry, lad," Brynjolf gripped the grieving man's shoulder as he continued to sob. "We'll get through this somehow."

Brynjolf left the room and made way to the exit, handing Talen-Jei a hefty purse of septims for the trouble the two men were leaving.

"Keep the change," he said and returned to the Ratway.


End file.
